TOURISM VICTORIA ANNUAL REPORT

chairman’s report
The tourism industry is a major
contributor to the Victorian economy
and its importance to our State increases
every year. With fierce competition for
the tourism and events dollar Tourism
Victoria capitalises on our State’s
strengths – our diversity, sophistication,
our year-long events calendar of events,
world class food and wine experiences,
striking natural assets and our reputation
for cosmopolitan and cultural experiences.
Tourism Victoria works hard to support
the local tourism industry through
distinctive and well-targeted marketing,
product and infrastructure development,
investment attraction and an increased
number of direct inbound flights. The
unique attractions of Melbourne and
regional Victoria, strongly supported by
Tourism Victoria, now drive an industry
worth $11 billion a year, employing
160,000 people.
In the past year the Victorian tourism
industry maintained its strong position.
Victoria again attracted 1.5 million
international visitors in the year ending
December 2007. Importantly, the average
length of stay of international visitors has
steadily increased since 1999 reaching
21.2 nights in 2008. Last year showed
continued strong growth from key
markets – New Zealand, China and India.
Capitalising on these markets and their
potential for growth over the next ten
years is a major component of the 10
Year Tourism and Major Events Strategy,
which estimates that overseas visitors
will account for 70 per cent of tourism
growth and almost 40 per cent of tourism
expenditure by 2016.
The Brumby Government is committed
to growing tourism in Victoria. The 10
Year Tourism and Events Industry Strategy
was developed to respond to the
many challenges ahead and to set new
directions to develop and grow the
industry long-term. The strategy provides
a road map for the industry’s future and
outlines an ambitious vision to grow
the sector to an $18 billion industry
employing 225,000 Victorians by 2016.
The strategy is a major step towards
achieving a high quality, high yield and
sustainable tourism industry.
To fulfil the commitments of the 10 Year
Strategy, Tourism Victoria developed the
Tourism Victoria Business Plan 2008–2011,
which was launched in February 2008.
The plan highlights areas where we
need to focus our energy and resources,
domestically and internationally, to
maximise growth. Outlining the
organisation’s major initiatives over the
next three years, the business plan has
five core principles – regional visitation,
emerging markets, aviation access, skills
and service standards and investment
attraction/product development. These
priorities will be our focus as we help
achieve the Government’s tourism target.
Tourism Victoria has long focused on
assisting the regional tourism industry
to respond to and rise above challenges.
We developed a draft Regional Tourism
Action Plan 2008–2011 which is an
important component in realising the
direction of our 10 Year Strategy and
in further developing our business
plan’s priorities. The draft plan provides
strategies to boost the economic benefits
and employment growth of the tourism
industry in regional Victoria and outlines
steps to meet challenges faced by tourism
operators and communities.
It is vital that Victoria maintains our
competitive advantage as we face
current challenges. Victoria, like the rest
of Australia and many other countries, is
tackling the challenge of a flat domestic
market. Many factors are influencing the
decline including changing consumer
household spending habits, high fuel
costs, discount aviation carriers, the
Australian dollar, increased pressure on
discretionary time and income, higher
levels of personal and household debt
and increased competition internationally
and domestically.
Tourism Victoria’s award winning Jigsaw
campaign promotes the diversity of
each part of Victoria. The It’s Easy to Lose
Yourself in Melbourne brand campaign
entered its second year and regional
campaigns for the Grampians, Phillip Island,
the Dandenong Ranges and Victoria’s
High Country were launched.
DR JANINE KIRK am
I pay tribute to the Brumby Government
for backing the Victorian Tourism industry
and for their $35.1 million 2008–09 State
Budget package to boost Victoria’s profile
in interstate and international markets.
Tourism Victoria will continue to work
with the Minister for Tourism and Major
Events to ensure Victoria’s tourism and
events industry generates economic
activity, jobs and export revenues.
I would like to acknowledge my fellow
Board members for their contribution
over the past year. A year which saw
Mr John Morse AM step down, after
serving seven years as Chairman of
Tourism Victoria. The healthy shape of
the Victorian tourism industry is a credit
to the leadership Mr Morse showed
during his tenure. He made an invaluable
contribution to our tourism industry.
In my first year as Chairman, I look
forward to working closely with the
Minister for Tourism and Major Events,
staff of Tourism Victoria and my
colleagues on the Board as we continue
to grow Victoria as a premium tourist
destination. Together with the industry, we
endeavour to grow the quality of visitor
experiences that will attract an increasing
number of visitors to our state.
Dr Janine Kirk am
Chairman
Tourism Victoria
PROFILE
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