Tuesday 31 May 2005

The Bracks Government today announced $100,000 towards a cooperative adventure tourism marketing program, which will provide major benefits to Victoria’s High Country.       

The Minister for Tourism, John Pandazopoulos announced the funding at the Victorian Adventure Tourism Forum in Mansfield.

“As one of Australia’s most geographically diverse states, Victoria has natural assets to meet the demands of the adventure tourism market,” Mr Pandazopoulos said.

“Adventure tourism is an important part of any nature-based tourism experience. We want people to experience our great natural assets including parks and adventure tourism is an important way of doing this.

 “We can offer visitors a wide range of activities such as rock-climbing, trail rides, surfing, bushwalking, camping, ballooning, rafting, four-wheel-driving, horse-riding and cycling.”

The new funding will enable the sector to cooperatively market Victoria’s adventure products and experiences. The funding will be matched on a 2:1 basis by the industry which includes tourism operators and local government.

Mr Pandazopoulos said the campaign would include the development of a brochure highlighting adventure product and experiences in Victoria, tactical marketing and further improvements to the adventure component of visitvictoria.com.

“Adventure Tourism is an emerging sector in Victoria and requires nurturing through Government support for business development, especially in light of the difficulties that public liability insurance has provided over the past three years,” Mr Pandazopoulos said.

“This funding is over and above the funding package announced last week to support the High Country following the Government’s decision to cease cattle grazing in the Alpine National Park, to improve the environmental quality of the park.”

The funding package will support a range of tourism initiatives including: 

• $200,000 for support of cultural heritage events and festivals in the high country, such as the Man from Snowy River Festival;

• $300,000 for assistance to high country huts and interpretive signage and information about the history of the high country and;

• The Government will also contribute towards the $6.5 million to the upgrading and sealing of the Bogong High Plains Road, which will significantly add to the tourism appeal of the region.