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Key Issue
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Performance
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1. Increase visitation to regional Victoria and encourage
longer length of stay
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The average length of stay of international visitors to Victoria
increased from 17.5 nights in 1998 to 19.2 nights in 2000.
In a difficult climate, visitor numbers and length of stay
for domestic visitors was maintained.
This issue will be a major focus of the Strategic Plan 2002-2006.
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2. Develop an integrated international strategy
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Victoria has developed a range of consumer and trade marketing
initiatives to deliver an integrated international strategy.
Strategies have focused on Victoria's primary, secondary and
emerging markets.
Marketing initiatives include cooperative tactical activities
with a range of travel trade partners, the wholesale and
retail industry, airlines and other State and Territory
tourism offices.
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3. Determine Melbourne and Victoria's international position
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Key Brand Melbourne/ Victoria images and supporting text
have been finalised for the markets of the USA, UK, Germany,
New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong, and distributed
to international offices, wholesalers and distributors. These
are used by Tourism Victoria and all of its partners in these
markets to ensure that Melbourne and Victoria are presented
consistently and in a way that resonates with each target
market. Brand development will continue to be a priority in
the 2002-2006 Strategic Plan.
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4. Use information technology developments
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In response to the emerging opportunities linked to the internet,
the Victorian Government provided Tourism Victoria with funding
of $7.4 million over two financial years to undertake the
Victorian Tourism Online (VTO) project. In March 2001, the
VTO project went live.
More than two years in development, visitvictoria.com
provides a significant level of motivational and destination
information worldwide. The site is rich in information about
destinations, tourism product and operators in Melbourne and
regional Victoria. The site is linked to regional tourism
sites, as well as key partner sites and provides the capacity
for visitors to book and pay for accommodation, tours, attractions,
events and services online from anywhere in the world.
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5. Improve the delivery of visitor services
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Emphasis has been placed on improving Victoria's delivery
of visitor services, including industry training, the development
of standards and codes, accreditation, and improvements in
technology and business systems.
Victoria continues to lead Australia in the campaign for
national tourism accreditation. A major project between Tourism
Victoria and VicRoads implemented an integrated tourist signage
and route numbering system at a total cost of more than $20
million.
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6. Capitalise on the 2000 Olympics and Centenary of Federation
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Victoria successfully achieved its objectives of profiling
Melbourne and regional Victoria to the world during the Sydney
Olympic Games.
This was achieved through various Olympic promotional activities,
including media familiarisations, distribution of media kits,
and tactical marketing activities.
The Centenary of Federation provided Victoria with the opportunity
to join in the commemorations and celebrations associated
with nationhood. Tourism Victoria maximised the tourism benefits
of this event through a number of cooperative initiatives.
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7. Expand the distribution of bookable product
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Strategies to achieve greater exposure through wholesale
and retail networks have been implemented, including a range
of cooperative consumer advertising programs, trade education
and familiarisation activities, and improving the servicing
of retail travel agents.
Tourism Victoria has continued to work cooperatively with
its wholesale partners to maintain a dedicated Melbourne/
Victoria brochure with adequate representation of regional
product. A highlight for the State was winning the prestigious
National Travel Industry Award for 'Marketing Campaign of
the Year 2000' for the Melbourne Great Indoors campaign.
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8. Develop new product to meet target markets
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Product development work has been undertaken with industry
representatives from niche industry segments such as caravan
parks, fishing, backpackers, gay and lesbian tourism and Aboriginal
tourism.
A major product development success was the establishment
of the Melbourne Attractions Pass in 1999-2000.
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9. Foster the development of tourism infrastructure
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Tourism Victoria has actively facilitated the development
of tourism infrastructure by providing ongoing strategic advice
and assistance for private and public sector investment. Major
new infrastructure included the Melbourne Museum, the Melbourne
Aquarium, the Nicholas Heritage Golf Resort, Mt Hotham Airstrip,
Victorian Spa at Mornington Peninsula, and Hilton Melbourne
Airport Hotel.
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10. Attract direct international air services
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There has been a major increase in international air services
during the 1997-2001 period. Until September 11 there were
over 200 direct international services into Victoria each
week. Since 1994, Tourism Victoria has worked in close partnership
with Melbourne Airport and other key stakeholders in securing
an additional 62,000 seats to Victoria a week, and continuing
to consolidate and expand the services of existing carriers
to Melbourne.
Significant ground was also made in attracting new carriers
to Melbourne including Air Mauritius, Emirates, Air Canada,
China Southern Airlines and Vietnam Airlines.
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11. Capitalise on Victoria's natural assets while protecting
the environment
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In November 2000, Nature- Based Tourism - Directions and
Opportunities 2002-2003 was launched. The strategy provides
a vision for realising the potential of growing markets for
ecotourism and nature based tourism. Central to this vision
is the principle of environmental sustainability.
An implementation coordination committee has been established
to ensure that the vision is realised. The committee consists
of representatives from Tourism Victoria, Parks Victoria,
Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victorian
Tourism Operators Association and Country Victoria Tourism
Council.
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12. Match increasingly tough competition in domestic and
international markets
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Despite an increasingly competitive market place, Victoria
has managed to maintain its position as the third most visited
state in Australia behind New South Wales and Queensland by
domestic and international visitors.
International
Victoria attracted nearly 1.1 million of the 4.3 million
international tourists who visited Australia in the year ending
June 2000. This provided Victoria with a 24.9% market share
of all international visitors.
During the period 1994-2000, Victoria experienced an average
annual growth of 5% in international visitors compared with
New South Wales and Queensland, which recorded rates of 5%
and 4% respectively.
Domestic
In 2000, there were 18 million domestic visitors to and within
Victoria, giving the State a 24.4% market share of total domestic
visitors in Australia.
Victoria has experienced continued growth in interstate visitor
numbers from 1998-2000, recording an average annual growth
rate of 3.3% for the period. From 1999 to 2000, Victoria recorded
growth of 7.4% in interstate visitors, compared to New South
Wales (6.7%) and Queensland (5.6%). Intrastate travel increased
by 8% from 1999 to 2000 to account for 13.3 million visitors,
giving Victoria a 25.8% market share of all intrastate visitors.
Intrastate travel makes up three-quarters of all domestic
travel in Victoria.
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