Local projects to help tourism industry recover

THE Labor Government is rolling out more than $1.7 million for seven projects in the Geelong region aimed to create jobs and stimulate the economy as it recovers from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The allocation is part of $10 million going to more than 50 projects statewide through the Regional Recovery Fund.

Tourism Greater Geelong and the Bellarine received two grants for their Brand Geelong and Business Events Attraction projects.

Brand Geelong is using $200,000 to support implementation of branding for the Greater Geelong region and to leverage private contributions from Geelong-based organisations across all sectors to implement a whole of place brand for Geelong.

The $400,000 in the Business Events Attraction project will go towards incentive funding for business events of any size to the value of $50 per in-person delegate until December 2022, and is intended to elevate Greater Geelong and The Bellarine and Great Ocean Roads position within the business events industry.

Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism (GORRT) has received $400,000 for its hospitality workforce program, which will design and deliver a workforce recruitment model to provide businesses with skilled staff using a service provider-led approach.

GORRT will use a further $450,000 in a marketing campaign to attract interstate visitors to Geelong, the Bellarine and Great Ocean Road, building on the incentive of half-price air tickets to Avalon that encouraged travellers from Adelaide, Launceston and Brisbane.

The City of Greater Geelong ($32,000) and the Borough of Queenscliffe ($15,000) have received funding for their Events Recovery Support projects, while the Surf Coast Shire will be funded for its Community Events Recovery Support program ($35,625).

Labor says its Regional Recovery Fund is designed to kickstart regional recovery by investing in locally identified projects that address each region’s unique and immediate socio-economic challenges, with a strong focus on creating jobs.

Successful projects were identified based on their ability to provide an immediate economic response and assist with recovery efforts while also laying the groundwork for future growth.

South Barwon MP Darren Cheeseman, Member for Western Victoria (and duty Bellarine MP) Gayle Tierney, Lara MP John Eren and Geelong MP Christine Couzens announced the seven projects last week.

“As the former minister for tourism and major events I know that tourism and events sectors are worth over $1 billion to our wider Geelong region, and that they employ thousands of people,” Mr Eren said.

“I am proud that this strategic investment of funding will assist the sector to once again flourish and become the tourism and events capital, just as we were prior to this pandemic.”

Ms Tierney said the funding was an important and welcome boost for regions such as the Bellarine Peninsula, especially for local tourism and hospitality businesses given the difficulties they had experienced over the previous 18 months.