Five Priority Areas sought in Tourism Recovery Package - 31st January 2007

While welcoming the Victorian Government’s announcement today of a $3.7 million tourist recovery package, Tourism Alliance Victoria says the funding must be spent on areas that the industry considers to be a priority.

Nicholas Hunt, Chief Executive Tourism Alliance Victoria, says: “Businesses, families and communities have been impacted in different ways by the fires.  Tourism businesses have been in steady contact with our organisation regarding the assistance they need.“

Tourism Alliance Victoria represents over 3000 Victorian tourism businesses, many of them in regional Victoria.

Mr Hunt says that while the package is aimed at supporting the rebuilding of the North East and Gippsland tourism industry following the devastating bushfires, there are five specific areas that tourism businesses are seeking assistance in.

These are:

• Low interest loan access – to provide short-term cash flow for those who do not have any alternative income source .
• Operator access to public land estate to enable business to re-start and rebuild.
• Sustainable marketing - additional non-matchable cash funding over a two to three year period.
• Business regeneration training and professional guidance for tourism related businesses to focus on recovery, survival and future opportunity.
• Infrastructure - to rebuild and replace road and tourism related infrastructure including bridges, cattleman’s huts, signage and viewing platforms.

“We will be working with the State Government to ensure that in the delivery of this welcome recovery package that business needs can be best addressed.”

$1 billion is the value of tourism visitor expenditure for the year ending June 2006 to the fire-affected areas of Gippsland and the High Country.  The summer season for many business constitutes up to 80% of their annual turnover.  The financial impact is and will continue to be significant.

Tourism in regional Victoria is worth $3.3 billion, up 27% in the last five years, and employs 61,000 Victorians.

The tourist recovery package was released today by the Premier Steve Bracks and the Minister for Tourism Tim Holding.

Victoria’s Bushfire Situation - 18th January 2007

Tourism Alliance wishes to provide an interim review of members’ issues, actions undertaken and future direction for tourism recovery from Victoria’s bushfires.

We are working with affected member businesses, government agencies and tourism response and recovery groups to not only determine and represent our members’ key issues but to also secure much needed support.

Tourism Alliance see the top line priorities as:

• Appropriate and timely financial support for fire affected businesses
• Proactive and positive approach to reopening and restoring the fire affected areas
• Rebuilding market confidence through regional marketing

Due to an early and prolonged fire season together with public and media perceptions, addressing these priorities has been difficult.  Recovery initiatives have commenced but more is required.  

Tourism Alliance has actively engaged in communication and consultation with key stakeholders and will be a strong industry voice as the recovery process unfolds.

Actions Undertaken to Date:

Letter sent to Tourism Minister The Hon. Tim Holding

• Tourism Alliance has requested the Minister’s support in accessing appropriate financial assistance for member businesses.  To date, the eligibility criteria for government assistance schemes have been asset-orientated. (copy of letter available in the Member Only section under 'News)

December meeting between Tourism Alliance and Tourism Victoria CEO’s

• Discussions undertaken highlighting the strategic direction for an effective bushfire recovery process

Tourism Alliance currently participating in fire recovery and response groups to ensure member issues are addressed and discussed

• Weekly Tourism Victoria Response & Recovery Working Group meetings attended by Tourism Alliance and key relevant government agencies including Tourism Victoria, Parks Victoria, Department Human Services and Regional Development Victoria
• Liaising with Gippsland and North East Victoria Tourism Bushfire Response & Recovery Groups

Communication with Tourism Alliance members

• Regular contact with members ensuring Tourism Alliance is aware of concerns, bushfire impacts and current situations

Liaised with Parks Victoria & DSE

• Parks Victoria letter sent to Licensed Tour Operators asking for expressions of interest to participate in a paid fire recovery program, eg. Undertake damage assessments of visitor assets.
• Consistent communication with Parks Victoria and DSE personnel to ensure all members have up to date and accessible bushfire information

Contacted all relevant State & Federal Government agencies in relation to eligibility of relief assistance

• Tourism Alliance has reviewed bushfire support available.  Unfortunately at present most grant eligibility is based upon structural impacts of the fires and may not be applicable.  Click here for a Recovery Grants and Assistance fact sheet.

Upcoming Actions:

Meeting with Minister for Tourism The Hon. Tim Holding

• Tourism Alliance CEO and Chairman meeting with Minister Holding next week to raise member concerns and encourage consideration of support for businesses in absence of a summer tourism season
• Provide input to the State Government’s newly formed Bushfire Recovery Ministerial Taskforce

Continual representation

• Ongoing participation with all relevant agencies and fire recovery groups to ensure Tourism Alliance members have a voice at the table
• Correspondence to Federal Minister for Community Services, in relation to Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payments
• Communication with the financial sector in relation to current and proposed support packages

Communication with Tourism Alliance members

• Regular contact will continue with members ensuring Tourism Alliance remains aware of concerns, bushfire impacts and current situations
• Members will be kept up to date as relevant information comes to hand
• Members are encouraged to contact their local Member to push the issues that are important to them

Other initiatives:

Tourism Alliance supports the following initiatives that are taking place to support fire affected Tourism Operators:

• Telstra Country Wide extended payment arrangements
• Baw Baw Shire, East Gippsland Shire, Latrobe City and Wellington Shire are offering rate relief to tourism operators directly affected by the bushfires
• Parks Victoria Expression of Interest to Licensed Tour Operators to become involved in the Fire Recovery Program

If any members have questions about the current assistance available or other bushfire related matters please contact Tourism Alliance 03 9650 8399.

State Governments Media Release - 31st January 2007 - Craig's Hut the Centrepiece of $4M Tourism Recovery Package

Bushfire Recovery Grants

Tourism Alliance Letter to Minister for Tourism The Hon. Tim Holding - under News in the Member Only section