Tourism push for bushfire-devastated regions
There are plenty of reasons to visit regional Victoria, and there is no better time than now to Go Country, and help our fire-affected areas get back on their feet.
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A much-needed $2 million will be urgently spent by the state government to revive regional Victoria’s tourism industry, smashed by the bushfires crisis.
As hard-hit rural communities across East Gippsland and the northeast — which bore the brunt of the infernos — cry out for Victorians to “come back”, their pleas will be supported by the huge promotional campaign.
Peak tourism body Visit Victoria will push rural destinations and their festivals and special events by swamping newspapers, TV radio and the internet with advertising.
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula will announce the special drive today.
“The campaign, which includes the slogan ‘A short stay goes a long way’, is all about encouraging Victorians to visit regional towns doing it tough,” he told the Sunday Herald Sun.
His announcement comes as the Sunday Herald Sun today launches the Go Country campaign to further drive tourists — especially Melburnians — back to our world-famous natural beauty spots, coastal resorts and small towns.
All are bouncing back and eager to host late-summer crowds and to be on the must-visit list for Labour Day and Easter getaways.
From, today, the Sunday Herald Sun and the Herald Sun will showcasethe many communities shattered by the fires, highlighting the outstanding spirit, resilience and hospitality of our great regions.
Speaking yesterday, Mr Pakula said a separate funding initiative that will also be managed by Visit Victoria will see 15 local government areas hit by the fires able to apply for cash to host events to help get towns back on their feet.
The special bushfire recovery round of the Regional Events Fund would commit $300,000 to a festivals and events program.
Both new and established events will be eligible for fast-tracked funding of up to $20,000 each. “Events provide a tremendous boost for local communities and that’s why we want to give organisers every opportunity to draw a bumper crowd to their town,” Mr Pakula said.
Applications open this month.
Visit Victoria CEO Brendan McClements said the best way people could help bushfire-affected zones was to “get back out there”.
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“This is an incredibly important part of the recovery process, as your time in these regions supports thousands of local jobs and businesses that underpin the vibrant communities,” he said.
“Our state is home to some of the most beautiful parts of the world, hosts an array of extraordinary events and has the friendliest people you will encounter — not to mention the best vanilla slices, meat pies and sausage rolls you’ll ever taste.”