Campaign encourages more people to visit international students

THE state government is committing $50,000 towards helping Geelong’s visitor economy grow by supporting a plan to increase the number of people travelling to the region to visit international students.

Last week, Minister for Regional Development Jaclyn Symes announced the funding from the Stronger Regional Communities Plan to Tourism Greater Geelong and the Bellarine to develop the first Geelong-specific marketing and travel packages for people visiting the region’s international students.

The project will be delivered in partnership with Study Geelong and will use insights from Geelong’s international students on what will attract their family and friends to visit the area.

The project will create tailored campaigns for key international markets and develop country-specific itineraries to encourage people from across Asia to visit Geelong and the southwest.

With more than 3,400 international students enrolled in the Geelong area, the international student market is a growing export sector for Geelong, rising by 20 per cent in 2016-17 alone.

“Avalon Airport is a gateway for travellers from Asia so it makes sense we are encouraging people to visit international students in the region to boost the local economies and cement Geelong, the Bellarine and the Great Ocean Road as must-see destinations in Victoria,” Ms Symes said.

Deakin University welcomed the announcement. Deputy vice-chancellor global engagement Professor Gary Smith said the number of international students studying at Deakin’s Geelong campuses have more than doubled to around 3000 in the past four years.

“We know that each international student is already visited by an average of 1.7 visitors each year, who spend almost 17 nights on average in the region, so this extra support is expected to
add to that.”