Getting on with tourism in daylesford and the macedon ranges region

Victoria’s Daylesford and Macedon Ranges communities are invited to have their say on the future of tourism following the release of the Andrews Labor Government’s Regional Tourism Review Discussion Paper.

Tourism is crucial to Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges region and it is booming – in the latest combined tourism survey results, international and domestic visitors to the region spent $500 million in the year ending March 2019, a growth of 21.1 per cent.

The Labor Government acknowledges there’s still more work to be done, and today Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas welcomed the launch of the formal consultation stage of the Regional Tourism Review to coincide with the Review Discussion Paper.

The release of the Discussion Paper continues consultation held over the past few months across regional Victoria.

The Regional Tourism Review, launched in March, aims to find opportunities to better support tourism operators, encourage private investment and create more regional jobs.

Figures released this week put the value of Victoria’s visitor economy at $30 billion, supporting 214,000 jobs including 86,000 in regional Victoria. While regional Victoria has some of Australia’s premier natural, cultural and food and wine attractions, private investment, visitation and spending are below their potential levels.

Visitors to Victoria spend on average 36 cents in the dollar across our regional sectors, below the national average of 43 cents in the dollar. Closing this gap would add $3.8 billion to the Victorian tourism economy.

The Discussion Paper has identified five key themes: strengthening our tourism offering, making the most of marketing spending, supporting industry, enhancing Regional Tourism Boards and better coordinating effort.

A series of regional consultations with tourism industry stakeholders will be held from July to September, while members of the public are invited to make submissions through the Engage Victoria website.

To view the Discussion Paper and have your say before the August 30 deadline for public submissions, visit engage.vic.gov.au/regional-tourism-review

Quote attributable to Special Adviser and Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas
"There is nothing quite like our stunning region and clearly domestic and international visitors agree."

"It’s been a pleasure to meet with tourism representatives and community members from across regional Victoria, to listen to their stories and learn about conditions on the ground as a guide to this next stage of the review."

"This Review is about taking it to the next level and showcasing every opportunity to bring even more visitors to our iconic and pristine part of the world."