TOURISM VICTORIA ANNUAL REPORT

strategy & Policy
Tourism Victoria continued to provide
support to the industry in partnership
with Tourism Alliance Victoria (TAV)
by encouraging local government to
develop tourism and related initiatives
to improve the level of industry
professionalism. Through funding
assistance from Tourism Victoria,
TAV continued to provide leadership
to accredited visitor information
centres and ensured a high level of
professionalism.
Tourism Victoria worked with the
industry to create a regional tourism
organisation for the Grampians region
which is expected to be launched in
late 2008.
Gippsland continued to grow through
the relationship developed between
the six Gippsland shires and Tourism
Victoria, including joint funding with
Regional Development Victoria. A peak
body for tourism in Gippsland was
established – Destination Gippsland
Limited in June 2008. Its major
focus includes marketing Gippsland,
investment attraction, developing
industry skills, product development
and industry communication.
A range of other specific regional
projects were undertaken this year
including:
• a product gap audit was completed
for Campaspe Shire
• Tourism Victoria worked with
Hepburn Shire and consultants in
creating a destination plan for the
Daylesford area.
Leadership Development
Tourism Victoria supported various
leadership programs for the tourism
industry including sponsorship of the
Young Tourism Network and the
Developing Tourism Leaders program
as well as providing support for the
Gippsland Tourism Industry Leadership
Program.
Sustainable Tourism
During 2007–08, in response to the
sustainability challenge, Tourism Victoria
undertook and supported a number of
sustainable tourism activities, including
the development of the Sustainability
module of the Tourism Excellence
Program (including detailed advice
on climate change); commissioning of
the Sustainable Tourism Cooperative
Research Centre to undertake research
on the environmental attitudes and
practices of Victorian tourism enterprises
and consumers; and coordinating the
sustainability component of the 2008
Victorian Tourism Conference, including
sponsoring the keynote speaker, Malcolm
Bell of South West Tourism (UK).
Tourism Victoria also worked closely
with other states and territories and
the Commonwealth on addressing
the challenges of climate change. As a
member of the national Tourism and
Climate Change Taskforce, Tourism
Victoria played an important role
in the development of Tourism and
Climate Change: A Framework for Action
which outlines issues and challenges
arising from climate change as well as
identifying opportunities to meet these
challenges.
Road signage
Tourism Victoria continued to provide
advice to a number of tourism
stakeholders on tourism signing matters
as well as contributing to the review of
the Statewide Tourist Signing Guidelines
conducted by VicRoads. Tourism Victoria
also continued its leadership role in this
area by chairing the National Signing
Reference Group. The new tourism
signing commenced with destination
pictorial signs installed in the
Mornington Peninsula.
34 major international
business events
secured for the
new Melbourne
Convention Centre*
* Correct at the time of print.
STRATEGY & POLICY
61