The Victorian Government is boosting tourism, creating more jobs, backing businesses and helping attract even more visitors across regional Victoria by showcasing the very best our state has to offer.
Premier Daniel Andrews today visited Oakdene Winery at Marcus Hill to announce a $170 million regional tourism package that will build even further on our renowned tourism sector.
With visitor expenditure in Victoria at a record $35 billion annually, this new package will help build tourism infrastructure projects that improve visitor experience and increase visitor spending across our great state - creating new jobs, benefiting tourism operators and regional communities.
The $150 million Regional Tourism and Events Fund will ensure our regional tourism offering continues to be the very best by supporting new events, new attractions and more accommodation for visitors.
The fund includes $70 million for Regional Events that will help Visit Victoria bring the biggest and best events to our regions, bringing visitors and dollars to communities right across the state.
We know big events can bring major economic benefits to regional communities and that's why we have already delivered the Kings of Leon in Mildura, Foo Fighters in Geelong, the record-breaking Elvis exhibition at Bendigo Art Gallery - with many more to come.
Attracting visitors to key destinations and supporting tourism businesses like wineries, breweries and distillieries to add much needed accommodation to their offering is so important - so we'll invest $60 million for Regional Tourism Infrastructure.
To assist Victorian primary producers and ensure that the rest of the world gets to experience our clean and green produce, we will also invest $10 million to grow our food and fibre exports and encourage more Australians to buy Victorian.
We know Victoria's regional cities and towns need the best skills, workforce and capacity to help regional tourism businesses grow and thrive and $5 million for Regional Tourism Industry Development will deliver that.
We will also invest $5 million for Regional Multi-Cultural Festivals to support towns across regional Victoria to hold multi-cultural festivals such as Tet, Chinese New Year, Nyepi.
In addition, the Labor Government is also investing $20 million for regional tourism marketing - to ensure our outstanding regional offering is marketed across the state, the country and the world.
The final design and make up of the package will be subject to consultation and engagement with industry.
The Labor Government has already invested more than $2 million at Oakdene Winery, to expand the commercial use of their lighthouse property by adding a restaurant and art gallery to their new cellar door.
The Government is also doing everything we can to increase the supply of workers' accommodation in regional Victoria by supporting tourism and hospitality businesses to attract and retain staff.
In addition to the tourism package, the $150 million Regional Worker Accommodation Fund will provide grants for projects that will increase the supply of workers' accommodation in regional Victoria - to reduce pressure on the rental market and helping businesses to attract the workers they need.
As stated by Premier Daniel Andrews
"Our investment will continue to showcase everything that regional Victoria has to offer - creating new jobs and attracting more visitors from across Victoria, Australia and the world."
As stated by Member for Bellarine Alison Marchant
"The Bellarine is home to spectacular attractions and experiences, and we're so proud to support our world class local businesses like Oakdene Winery - right here in Marcus Hill."
