THE TEAM AT GORRT WOULD LIKE TO SINCERELY WISH EVERYONE A SAFE AND HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.
GORRT Office Closures and Emergency Contacts
The GORRT office will be closed from the 23 rd December 2015 and will reopen on the 11 th January 2016. Please be aware of these dates when contacting the team.
For any general enquiries, please feel free to email the team, or alternatively, feel free to leave us a message on our voicemail by calling 03 5561 7894 and someone will get back to you upon their return.
If there are any emergencies or issues that cannot wait until the New Year, please email the issue along with your name and contact phone number to info@gort.com.au. Our General Manager, Liz Price, will be checking this email over the Christmas break for anything urgent that comes through.
In this newsletter:
- Destination Guides Update
- Great Ocean Road wins Australian Traveller Award
- Internet Find Warning
- GORRT Position Vacant
- Strategic Master Plan Launch
- Get Involved with GORRT
- 2015 RACV Victorian Tourism Award Results
- Parks Victoria Camping Fee updates
- Parks Victoria Bushfire Preparedness
- Social Media update
- Upcoming projects for 2016
- Events news
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NEW DESTINATION GUIDES HOT OFF THE PRESS!
Destination guides for Torquay, Apollo Bay/Otways, 12 Apostles Coast & Hinterland, Warrnambool , Anglesea and Port Fairy are now available.
Operators can collect small quantities of copies for their own distribution from the Visitor Information Centres. Digital versions are also available (see the links above) that can be used for businesses to upload to their own websites which provides an opportunity to share the link with previous and future visitors to help plan their trip and encourage return visitation.
If any operators are seeking larger quantities of any of the Destination Guides, please contact the GORRT Office via info@gort.com.au or 03 5561 7894 from January 11th 2016. (Stock distributed dependent on availability).
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GREAT OCEAN ROAD TAKES AUSTRALIAN TRAVELLER AWARD FOR MOST SCENIC DRIVING HOLIDAY
Recently, Australian Traveller revealed the winners of the People's Choice Awards 2015 and we are very proud to announce that the Great Ocean Road was crowned the winner of the Most Scenic Driving Holiday. Recognised for it's 'stunning beaches, rugged cliffs and lush forests' the Great Ocean Road Journey was dubbed 'an experience you’re unlikely to forget'. There was stiff competition for the award, see the runners up listed below:
The runners-up:
2. Great Eastern Drive, TAS
3. Cairns to Port Douglas, QLD
4. South Coast, NSW
5. Gibb River Road, WA
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INVOICE CONFUSION
If you receive an invoice and are confused as to whether or not it relates to GORRT please contact us before paying. Renewals of visitvictoria.com listings are through GORRT or directly on the visitvictoria website. You will not receive an invoice for renewal without prior discussion with GORRT.
Both Tourism Victoria and GORRT have a strict renewal reminder system in place, and operators will receive “Reminder to Renew” emails and letters prior to an expiry date. The first reminder email is sent from GORRT at 45 days before expiry, with Tourism Victoria sending their first reminder email at 30 days. If we have not had a response from an operator at 2-5 days before expiry, we will personally call you to alert you to your impending renewal date.
If you have received any invoices from Internet Find, please disregard them and let the GORRT staff know by emailing cassie@gort.com.au
For more information, click here.
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JOIN THE GORRT TEAM
Are you a seasoned sales professional that builds enduring relationships?
Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism is seeking a sales professional to join our small team.
We are looking for a Sales/Business Development Manager to help us reach our goals. The successful candidate must be:
- A highly motivated self–starter with experience in B2B sales
- A strong relationship builder who can deliver commercial results for both GORRT and its client base.
- Excels at customer service delivery
- Prepared to travel extensively throughout the region
- Experienced in both face to face and telesales.
- Has excellent presentation and communication skills
- Has strong experience in print and digital advertising sales and/or the sale of business services
Join a passionate and dynamic team committed to continuous improvement. An attractive remuneration package including incentives on offer.
Application due C.O.B. 4th January 2016.
Apply now!
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STRATEGIC MASTER PLAN LAUNCH
Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism (GORRT) today released the “Strategic Master Plan for the Visitor Economy of the Great Ocean Road Region 2015-2025” at the Camperdown Courthouse.
A foundation plan for the Regional Tourism Body and a framework for all stakeholders to the region’s visitor economy, including community, industry, land managers and Federal, State and Local Government. GORRT Chairman, Wayne Kayler-Thomson was joined by Ruth Gstrein, representing Regional Development Australia (RDA) Barwon South West and Unni Menon, representing Regional Development Victoria (RDV), to launch the plan which was funded through grants from both the State and Federal Government. Mr Kayler Thomson advised that “The Plan calls for new, stronger levels of collaboration, lateral thinking and innovation.”
A summary and full version of the document which will be used to guide the region over the next 10 years can be read here.
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GET INVOLVED
An updated GORRT prospectus is now available detailing a range of ways you can get involved in the industry and promote your business and the region.
Find out how to get involved here
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2015 RACV VICTORIAN TOURISM AWARD RESULTS
The spotlight was on Victoria’s leading tourism businesses at the RACV Victorian Tourism Awards’ gala ceremony hosted by Tim Campbell at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on November 16. Now in their 31st year, the awards recognise excellence in the industry and assist in the ongoing quest for exceptional tourism and events offerings in Victoria. Winners across 33 categories were announced to great applause from over 900 industry guests.
We were very proud to see the region well represented and take out a few awards on the night.
Festivals and Events
Winner Fun4Kids Festival, Warrnambool
Ecotourism
Silver: Eco-Logic Education & Environment Services, Aireys Inlet
Adventure Tourism
Bronze: Go Ride A Wave, Anglesea
Luxury Accommodation
Gold: Drift House, Port Fairy
Silver: RACV Torquay Resort, Torquay
Local Government Award
Gold: Corangamite Shire Council, Great Ocean Road
Congratulations to all winners and all those who entered the awards. We look forward to taking out more awards for the region in 2016.
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CHANGES TO PARKS VICTORIA CAMPING FEES
A revised fee structure for camping in Victoria’s Parks and Reserves comes into effect from 18 December 2015, following a statewide review. These changes will ensure that Victorians continue to have access to these beautiful places, while making sure that the costs of providing safe, visitor-friendly facilities and services are sustainable and affordable.
View the changes here
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PARKS VICTORIA BUSHFIRE PREPAREDNESS 2015-16
Victoria faces another hot and dry summer with an increased risk of bushfires and grassfires. Emergency crews have already responded to significant fires across the state and are preparing for a potentially difficult fire campaign. Parks Victoria would like remind you that information about park closures and parks affected by fire.
parks Victoria encourages the use of a front page button (The Red Button) that directly links to a list of fire affected parks to make it easy to find the latest information. The button also provides links to further information sources via individual park pages that contain more details to assist with visitor and operator planning.
The Red Button has been successfully rolled out over the last two years; appearing on regional tourism, council and state-wide visitor and industry websites, Facebook posts and newsletters.
Please feel free to use link button and button for websites, Facebook pages, newsletters to industry, members etc. The objective is to assist in providing up to date information to inform decision making.
It is often difficult to find the balance between alerting visitors to high fire danger areas and promoting our regions. Parks Victoria will continue to work with operators, regional tourism boards and Tourism Victoria to minimise impacts on regional communities and hope that by providing up-to-date information we will be able to keep the community, visitors and operators informed and safe.
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GET SOCIAL
Here are some of the recent images that have hit our social media feeds over the past few weeks. Want to get your business images featured? Share your best images by emailing them to social@gort.com.au or post them via your own social channels using #visitgreatoceanroad
Industry Facebook page
Consumer Facebook page
Twitter
Instagram
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A new perspective of the Lorne pier! Photo @droneair_australia
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A couple of friendly locals at the Anglesea Golf Club. Photo @carola_hmn
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Standing tall... Cape Otway Lightstation. Photo by @iglesias11
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GREAT OCEAN WALK PROGRAM FOR 2016
GORRT and Parks Victoria (PV) have partnered to deliver a cooperative marketing program for the Iconic Great Ocean Walk. 2016 heralds the celebration of 10 years of the full, internationally renowned, Great Ocean Walk and will be a bumper year of activity and opportunities. PV and GORRT will be developing a promotional program to ensure we showcase the newest upgrades including the Trailhead at Apollo Bay, significant realignment and boardwalk at Crayfish Bay and upgraded photo point platform at Glenample. The program will be open to operators providing specific Great Ocean Walk products and services. To partner in the marketing of one of the region’s most significant assets, register your interest here.
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VISIT VICTORIA DRIVE CAMPAIGN 2016
Tourism Victoria under the new Visit Victoria structure will be undertaking one of the most significant campaigns in recent years to market Regional Victoria to Melbourne and Regional Victoria. The campaign will seek to motivate and drive visitation. GORRT is seeking to participate in there cooperative opportunities this campaign will present and is seeking industry cooperative partners. We look forward to bringing you more detail in 2016 so stay tuned but want to make sure you don’t miss out, express your interest in participating here.
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TOURISM AUSTRALIA FOCUSES ON VICTORIA'S AQUATIC AND COASTAL EXPERIENCES
Tourism Australia is launching a new global campaign focusing on one of Australia’s key competitive advantages – our world-class aquatic and coastal experiences. Seventy per cent of our international visitors participate in an aquatic or coastal experience, but until now, Australia’s water-based experiences have not taken centre stage.
Read more about the program and how you can get involved here
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DINE AND SLEEP AT BRAE IN 2016
One of the regions leading restaurants will soon offer accommodation to pair with it's award winning dining experience.
Like the food, the overnight experience will be highly considered and not overreaching. There will be six large, self-contained rooms at around 60-square metres each, which are designed as the equivalent of a five-star suite in the city. Each will have a large living space, outdoor deck and a substantial mini-bar.
The rooms will be designed by Six Degrees (who also did the restaurant) and will complement the existing landscape – not overly rustic, but not off-puttingly modern, either. The restaurant’s dedication to sustainability will continue through the rooms, too – the plan is to completely sustain them with rainwater and solar energy, and to build them with recycled bricks and timber.
We look forward to the accommodation opening for bookings in early 2016. For more details visit braerestaurant.com
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CAVENDISH CONFIRMED FOR CADEL EVANS GREAT OCEAN ROAD RACE
26-time Tour de France stage winner Mark Cavendish has been announced to race in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race on Sunday, 31 January 2016.
The Olympian, former world champion and world class sprinter will line up for the first time with his new squad Team Dimension Data, who have recently been awarded a UCI World Tour Licence.
The 30-year-old says this race will be his only appearance in Australia this summer.
“I am looking forward to starting the 2016 season in Victoria and racing for the first time with Team Dimension Data at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race,” Cavendish said.
Read more
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MOYNEYANA FESTIVAL
The Moyneyana Festival is in its 67th year and is known for its enduring tribute to community spirit. The festival runs over five weeks from Christmas Eve through to Australia Day each year.
The Festival has developed over the years to become a favourite summer celebration in the south-west of Victoria. Initiated in 1947, the festival helps to raise funds for the local hospital, and attracts crowds of 15,000 visitors each year.
Almost all featured events are free and held in Port Fairy in the main street, the village green or other public spaces. The only thing you need to bring is a picnic blanket or folding chairs. Come join the performers for Moyneyana Festival's Australia Day celebrations and all the other fun activities they have planned until then.
Moyneyana Festival is free, fun, simple and everyone is welcome.
Find out more
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ANGLESEA ROCK2RAMP OCEAN SWIM
The Anglesea Rock 2 Ramp is an open water swim held at Point Roadnight Beach and is comprised of two distances of two and a half kilometre and a 1.2 kilometre swim which is over a 'U' shaped course.
Each year over 800 swimmers take the water and swim the course which is in a protected bay at Point Roadknight with the Anglesea SLSC providing the highest level of water safety per capita of all the swims in the area.
Entry for the event can be made via the Anglesea Surf Lifesaving Club website, however entries will be accepted on the day. All competitors are required to register at least two hours before the start of their race. The race has eight age group categories for males and females ranging from 18 to 70+.
The two and a half kilometre swim is back with an increase in the maximum number of participants to 200 swimmers and a new 250 metre Kids Dash participatory event (no prizes) for the 7-9 and 10-12 age groups in which each participant will get a cap and there will be random prizes.
Find out more
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For more industry information.
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