I HOPE all readers had a great Christmas and New Year period.<\/p>\n
If you’ve had time off from your regular duties, I trust it was a refreshing and relaxing break.<\/p>\n
And if you made any New Year resolutions, I hope your commitment remains strong!<\/p>\n
This time of year is so important, to a wide range of businesses and groups.<\/p>\n
The funds raised now can set so many up for the remainder of the calendar year.<\/p>\n
I think of the volunteer organisations, such as the Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Club, which hosts its biggest annual fundraiser at the end of December.<\/p>\n
Held for more than 40 years, the Rip to River is a fantastic fun run that has events for all ages and abilities.<\/p>\n
There is also the volunteer-led Portarlington Mussel Festival and also drawing day trippers during January, the Bellarine is a hive of activity and energy.<\/p>\n
Run by a team of more than 100 volunteers, the festival is a major highlight in January, attracting about 30,000 people.<\/p>\n
Funds raised from the festival flow to local charities and community organisations, and the economic benefits of attracting tens of thousand of visitors to Portarlington ripples through the entire town.<\/p>\n
Another of my favourites is the Wonderland Spiegeltent Festival, in Barwon Heads.<\/p>\n
The travelling big top opened on Boxing Day and takes centre stage on the foreshore until 28 January.<\/p>\n
It has become a summer fixture on the coast, with a great mix of circus, cabaret, music, magic and comedy.<\/p>\n
The Spiegeltent is just another reason why the region can host as many as 400,000 overnight visitors during this month.<\/p>\n
The array of attractions has helped Greater Geelong and the Bellarine’s tourism sector return to pre-pandemic highs, contributing $1.6 billion to the local economy.<\/p>\n
More than 6,400 people are employed in the tourism and hospitality sector, and there are opportunities to increase this.<\/p>\n
The key to alleviating a lot of these businesses’ reliance on this peak period, is to sell this region as a place to visit and stay in all year-round.<\/p>\n
If we can grow the mid-week and shoulder seasons, it will go a long way to ensuring our businesses are sustainable and expand, creating more jobs.<\/p>\n
We also want to see our regular visitors stay longer, and experience more of the fantastic attraction in the wider region.<\/p>\n
A lot of visitors love to return to long-established favourite places, and it’s easy to understand why; that is often how family traditions and deeper connections are made.<\/p>\n
But there is so many great spots across the Bellarine, and beyond, that we need to encourage people to try.<\/p>\n
Notwithstanding that, the region’s peak tourism body, Tourism Greater Geelong and The Bellarine, is very optimistic about the future of our visitor economy.<\/p>\n
Their modelling shows that visitor days are expected to grow from 9.2 million this year to 13.6 million by 2032.<\/p>\n
The visitor economy will be worth up to $2.1 billion annually over the next decade, with a host of new accommodation offerings to help meet this demand.<\/p>\n
It is vital that we cater to this influx, without losing sight of why people choose to travel here.<\/p>\n
The beautiful natural environment of the coast, and the surrounding landscapes, are the jewels in the Bellarine’s crown.<\/p>\n
Council now has more than 1400 hectares of protected natural habitat under its control, and there are more than 11,600 hectares of wetlands across Greater Geelong.<\/p>\n
We must protect and enhance these remnant environmental treasures, so that future generations can enjoy them as we all do.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Cr Elise Wilkinson<\/p>\n
Bellarine Ward,<\/p>\n
City of Greater Geelong<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I HOPE all readers had a great Christmas and New Year period. If you’ve had time off from your regular duties, I trust it was a refreshing and relaxing break. And if you made any New Year resolutions, I hope your commitment remains strong! This time of year is so important, to a wide range […]<\/p>\n