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LAST CHANCE:
FREE Visit Victoria Listing Workshops
Expression of Interest Closing TODAY!
Book Now!
Having Trouble creating your Visit Victoria Listing? Or thinking about purchasing a Getting Started Package with Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism, but dont have a Visit Victoria Listing yet?
The Visit Victoria website is a great asset to list your business on, in fact would you like proof?
Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism will be holding two workshops on Wednesday the 19th of November in 2 locations across the region.
This workshop will take you through step by step of how to create the best possible profile, and create your listing on the day!
- Warrnambool: 10am-12pm, South West TAFE
- Torquay: 2:30-4:30pm, Spring Creek Community House
Spaces are limited, book now to avoid disappointment!! Expression of interest closes Wednesday 12th of November.
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Chairman's Message
With the election only weeks away, The Board has been working hard on the development of an advocacy strategy to build the sustainability of the visitor economy for the Great Ocean Road Region. The Board
commissioned a report to assess the value of tourism to the Great Ocean Road region which revealed that previously used methodologies have significantly underestimated the number of jobs tourism delivers in the region. The report by Decisive Consulting reviews past methodologies and reports that tourism contributes 7,094 direct plus 4,828 indirect jobs in the region compared with 3,368 direct jobs in the Destination Management Plan released in 2012.
The principle reason for the past underestimation is that their estimates were based on ABS Census data collected in August 2011, being the bottom of the off season for the region. Previously unpublished data by Deloitte Access Economics for Tourism Victoria was applied to reveal the underestimation. This means that tourism contributes 11.6% of jobs, just slightly less than for agriculture, forestry and fishing and more than manufacturing, yet has received far less support from successive governments.
GORRT is preparing a case for investment in a “Tourism Jobs Fund” and will be presenting this to the Premier and Leader of the Opposition next week seeking their response. The Board looks forward to sharing with you both the “Tourism Jobs Fund proposal” and the responses by the major parties and candidates. We encourage you to continue to support the recognition of tourism as a major driver of the region’s economy.
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General Manager's Message
I am excited this month to be releasing the Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism Inaugural prospectus. Our inaugural program is themed Better Together, showcasing the opportunity before us, to unite as one region to work smarter and more collaboratively to grow the visitor economy for the region.
The prospectus has been prepared with extensive industry consultation and I trust you will see offered, business services that will assist you to grow your business and partner with Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism to grow the visitor economy for the region.
Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism is not a membership based organisation so you can become part of the program by purchasing any of the business services offered in our program and I encourage you to call Elliot or Chris and have them tailor a package to work for you. If you are not ready to invest yet, make sure you sign up to be a business subscriber, it costs nothing and ensures you are kept informed of Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism opportunities, State & Federal programs, local government activity and research and news within the visitor economy.
We are better together and I hope you will join our 2015 program.
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GORRT Business Services Packages Are Here!
IT'S HERE, We are proud to announce our Business Services Prospectus for the 2014/15 year!
To view the Great Ocean Road 2014/15 Prospectus online, please visit greatoceanroadtourism.org.au and click on the prospectus button on the bottom right of the page. Please note that our website is still under maintenance, however watch this space!
We are in the process of mailing out hard copy prospectuses to everyone on our database over the next few weeks, so please keep an eye on the mail.
For those of you on our current priority list, we are in the process of following you up to inform you of our 'Getting Started Package' as well as our many other great products which we have out to market for this year.
We are no longer membership based. We are now a fee for service organisation, this means that we can cater for exactly what your business needs to grow and profit within our diverse large region.
Want to have the same sort of package you have had in the past? We have the right option for you!
Introducing the 'Getting Started' package which will cover off your much loved items; such as the Visit Victoria and Visit Great Ocean Road website listings, book now button capabilities, and Visitor Information Centre brochure display and referral program, as well as many other benefits.
For those who are every so tightly holding out to get their Business Services Package, please feel free to call Elliot or Chris on (03) 55 617 894.
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Free Wifi on Great Ocean Road
Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism Ltd has announced that by the end of November there will be twenty four free Wifi locations across the Great Ocean Road Region. The main objective of this initiative is to increase the use of social media by the visitors to encourage them to upload images they have taken during their visit either to the region or to individual destinations. Research shows the images that are taken and uploaded by visitors are an effective way to market the region. The visitor will be able to immediately deliver automated content whilst they are in destination rather than wait until a service is available at a later time. The service also means that the visitor can promote the diversity of the tourism experiences as opposed to a broader belief that the Great Ocean Road experience is just a drive and a photo shot of icons. Great Ocean Road and region has an abundance of attractions including food, wine, produce, cycling, walking, wildlife, history and heritage, adventure and nature based both on and off the coast. This initiative will assist to create greater awareness of the lesser known visitor experiences and assist with the growth of yield and dispersal across the region.
The service will also be available to local communities to proudly share their images and favourite spots through social media.
The locations of the wifi spots are from Port Fairy to Torquay and Queenscliff and inland locations. The project is an initiative of Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism which is a partnership between the local councils in the region and Tourism Victoria. The project has been funded by Victorian State Government through the Innovation Fund, Tourism Victoria Regional Tourism Partnership Program and Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism
The board was delighted that the wifi project implementation has commenced and that the initiative has the potential to respond to one of the regions greatest challenges which is to increase yield and dispersal from the visitor. Our region is blessed with high visitation in fact the highest in Regional Victoria but it also has the lowest yield. Reporting from the free wifi will give very sound data on not only numbers but visitor movements across the region. She said that in the past this tracking was only possible through manual means which was not reliable to inform strategic decisions.
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2014 Golden Plate Awards
Congratulations to all winners, highly commended and entrants of the 2014 Geelong Otway Golden Plate awards from around the Great Ocean Road region! It is great to see such talent across our region.
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Public Relations
Another great month for us with PR, with over $60,000 worth of PR exposure. Some of the highlights include:
PRINT
Voyager
The Great Escape
October 2014 Editions
Advertising Value: $40,000. To view article, please click HERE
Albury Border Mail
It’s Simply Swell
October 4, 2014
Advertising Value: $7,000.00. To view article, please click HERE
Golf Magazine
The Long and Winding Road
November 2014
Advertising Value: $5,000. To view article, please click HERE
ONLINE
NRMA – Living Well Navigator
The Secrets of The Great Ocean Road
October 20, 2014
Advertising Value: $1,500.00. To view article, please click HERE
Mature Traveller
The Secrets of The Great Ocean Road
October 21, 2014
Advertising Value: $4,000.00. To view article, please click HERE
TELEVISION
Coxy’s Big Break – Did you miss the Oddball and GOR special?
to view the full episode, click HERE
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Bellbrae, Torquay and Anglesea get the chocolates and the jobs
Up to 100 new jobs to be created through Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery $2.5 million allocated to improve access from the Great Ocean Road Napthine Government is building better, safer roads
Minister for Roads Terry Mulder today announced that the Coalition Government’s investment in local infrastructure will support new jobs around Bellbrae, Torquay and Anglesea.
Mr Mulder said $2.5 million has been allocated towards a new roundabout on the Great Ocean Road which will enable a Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery and potentially other tourist operators to be established at Bellbrae.
“Construction of a new roundabout will help cater for the up to 750,000 visitors forecast to visit Bellbrae and the Chocolaterie every year”, Mr Mulder said.
“With close proximity to Torquay and just 15 minutes to Anglesea, the Coalition's investment is great news for job seekers in the area.”
“This investment will help ensure that the Great Ocean Road continues to be the Victorian Surf Coast gateway and a lifeline for tourism and business in south-western Victoria.”
Member for South Barwon Andrew Katos said the announcement was great for local jobs.
"The $10 million Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery will seek local suppliers of produce, ingredients, business support services and its products and packaging will reflect the unique and famous natural attributes of the Great Ocean Road”, Mr Katos said.
“The development will employ up to 100 people, which is fantastic for the region.”
The establishment of this new tourism business follows the success of a similar operation in the Yarra Valley.
Works will start on the new roundabout next year.
The Victorian Government and Australian Government are also investing $50 million to upgrade the Great Ocean Road.
Media contact: Jess Maguire 0409 600 987 jess.maguire@minstaff.vic.gov.au
Visit www.premier.vic.gov.au for more news
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Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism Staff Direct Phone Numbers
The HQ of Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism has had some upgrades to its telephone communications system.
For General enquiries, you can still call the office number of (03) 55 617 894,
However, if you are after a particular staff member, please use the following numbers:
- Liz Price- General Manager: (03) 4504 2170
- Carole Reid- Business Development & Strategy: (03) 4504 2172
- Lee Malady- Marketing Development Officer: (03) 4504 2173
- Lauren Orero (Currently on Maternity Leave): (03) 4504 2175
- Chris Ward- Tourism Officer: (03) 4504 2174
- Elliot Daniel- Finance & Business: (03) 4504 2171
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