$44.7m Package to Continue Victoria’s Tourism Dominance
Posted May 4th, 2010 Comments (0) | Share | tags: Budget 2010/11, Tourism & Major Events
A new multi-million-dollar tourism campaign to promote Melbourne’s range of tourism attractions and the next step towards expanding the Melbourne Exhibition Centre are the centrepieces of the Brumby Labor Government’s? $44.7 million package to boost Victoria’s tourism industry.A new multi-million-dollar tourism campaign to promote Melbourne’s range of tourism attractions and the next step towards expanding the Melbourne Exhibition Centre are the centrepieces of the Brumby Labor Government’s? $44.7 million package to boost Victoria’s tourism industry.
The Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Tim Holding, said increasing visitor numbers and expenditure in the State’s 11 tourism regions would help to drive more jobs and investment in Victoria’s vibrant tourism sector.
“2009 was an extraordinarily difficult year with the Black Saturday bushfires, which was Australia’s worst ever national disaster, swine flu and the Global Financial Crisis,” Mr Holding said.
“Despite these challenges our tourism industry has responded remarkably, with international visitor numbers growing in the past year and Melbourne continuing to be the most popular capital city with interstate travellers.
“This funding is the next step in locking in Victoria’s tourism dominance for the future.
“The Brumby Labor Government understands that nothing is more important to Victorian families than job security. ? That’s why we are supporting tourism operators in Melbourne and regional Victoria helping to boost economic activity and protect local jobs.”
Mr Holding said the 2010 State Budget would deliver? $27 million over five years to encourage visitors from other Australian States to visit Melbourne – one of the world’s most liveable cities.
“Melbourne has become the most popular capital city for interstate Australian travellers. This investment will help build on that popularity in the coming years,” Mr Holding said.
“Melbourne’s outstanding restaurants, our year-round calendar of major events, the increasing number of world-class hotels and our art and theatre shows will be used to entice more Australians to travel to Melbourne and spend up big while they are here.
“Regional Victoria will also benefit from more visitors travelling to Victoria’s outstanding regional locations to experience the natural attractions, food and wine, spa country and cultural experiences.”
Mr Holding said $17.7 million would be invested in preparations for the expansion of the Melbourne Exhibition Centre space.
“This is the first step towards expanding the Melbourne Exhibition Centre to enable more large exhibitions and business conventions to be held in Melbourne,” Mr Holding said.
“These funds will be used to purchase land necessary to expand the exhibition space at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.
“Expanding the exhibition space in the future will complement the Brumby Labor Government’s $367 million Melbourne Convention Centre at South Wharf, ensuring Melbourne continues to be the number one Australian destination for business events and seminars.”
“Our Melbourne Tourism campaign follows a $10 million tourism campaign for bushfire affected communities following the devastating Black Saturday bushfires as announced in March 2009.”
Mr Holding said the 2010 State Budget also includes other initiatives to boost tourism including:
- $363 million to build the first stage of the Brumby Labor Government’s Melbourne Park redevelopment to ensure the Australian Open remains in Melbourne for the long-term;
- $1 million to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival; and
- $3.4 million to complete rehabilitation work on the Summerland Estate buyback which will enable further protection to Phillip Island’s iconic fairy penguins.
Tourism employs approximately 184,800 people across Victoria and is worth an estimated $15.8 billion to the State’s economy.