Great Ocean Road left out of $50 million tourism recovery fund

THERE is a new $50 million fund from the Coalition Government to support nine regions popular with international tourists, but the Great Ocean Road has been left off the list.
Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism (GORRT), G21 and Corangamite Labor federal member Libby Coker were all surprised, to varying degrees, that the Great Ocean Road was not included in the Recovery for Regional Tourism Fund, announced at the weekend.
As well as the fund, the Coalition has earmarked $200 million for a fifth round of the Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF).
“This targeted new fund will support internationally dependent tourism regions to adapt their offerings, experiences and marketing to appeal to domestic visitors in the short-term and be in the strongest possible position to welcome back international tourists down the track,” federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said.
Phillip Island is the only Victorian destination on the list of nine eligible regions. The other eight include the entire state of Tasmania and the Gold Coast.
GORRT board chair Wayne Kayler Thomson said the Great Ocean Road was Victoria’s most visited region by international travellers, with 212,000 overnight international visitors and 800,000 day trips every year.
“To put it very simply, we’re surprised and disappointed.
“We don’t understand the criteria that was used – on the face of it, it fails to recognise the level of visitation to the Great Ocean Road region.
“The principle of support is terrific, but we’d like to see an equitable distribution of it.”
G21 chief executive officer Elaine Carbines was likewise surprised.
“It’s really important that the Great Ocean Road and the visitor economy opportunities surrounding the road are supported, so it seems to be an oversight that the Great Ocean Road was not included as a recipient,” she said.
“We know it is an incredible catalyst for the economy of this region.”
Ms Coker said she was stunned and extremely disappointed that the Great Ocean Road was overlooked.
“While any support for the tourism sector is a positive step, the measures announced will do little to assist tour operators and the many hundreds of small businesses. Many of these businesses have been decimated by the lack of international and interstate travel.
“It is short-sighted of the Morrison Government to leave our region out of the funding. Tourism Australia loves to champion the Great Ocean Road but when it comes to stimulus funding for Victoria, we have been short changed.”
Victorian Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson said she was delighted there would be a fifth round of the BBRF, but did not answer questions about why the Great Ocean Road was not part of the Recovery for Regional Tourism Fund or the criteria used to select the regions on the list.
“I have also made representations about the need for regional tourism recovery funding for the Geelong region and south-west Victoria including the Great Ocean Road,” she said.