Greater Melbourne’s first ever Destination Management Visitor Plan gets industry unveiling

Representatives from across Greater Melbourne’s tourism industry were on hand today at the official launch of Greater Melbourne’s first Destination Management Visitor Plan.

The result of collaborative efforts between key organisations and industry leaders, working to further Melbourne’s profile as a visitor destination of choice both locally and globally, the Plan is structured according to six strategic themes, which provides a list of recommendations to improve and grow the visitor economy not just in inner Melbourne but across Greater Melbourne’s vibrant neighourhoods.

A blueprint to ensure that growth is supported though a collaborative whole-of-industry approach, the Plan results from Destination Melbourne collaborating with local councils from across Greater Melbourne along with Victorian Government partners from Visit Victoria, Transport for Victoria, Investor Engagement from the Department of Economic Development, Transport, Resources and Jobs.

Compiled over the past 18 months, grant funding for the strategic city-wide project was also received through the Australian Government’s Tourism Demand-Driver Infrastructure Program, administered by the Victorian State Government.

The development of the Plan included detailed stakeholder engagement and intensive visitor research - the largest piece of research ever undertaken of visitors in a destination.

Since 2017, 10 workshops and over 60 individual stakeholder consultations have been held, followed by 35 individual online submissions, over 2500 domestic and international visitor interviews and more than 1800 local Melburnian interviews regarding their role as hosts to visiting friends and relatives.

Valuable insights from this research formed the basis of the Plan and the recommendations within it.

Introducing the Plan, Destination Melbourne Chief Executive, Laura Cavallo explained “at its core, a Destination Management Visitor Plan is a vision for growth and a shared belief that developing our world class destination is not only achievable but also desirable. More than that, the DMVP is the strategic roadmap for how we will get there.”

Highlighting that Greater Melbourne’s unique blend of people, place, lifestyle, parks and gardens, history, sports, food and arts and culture, are what make up the iconic brand that is unmistakably Melbourne, Cavallo added “Melbourne is changing at a rapid rate. For this city to retain its visitor appeal, we welcome this strategic framework to guide the visitor industry along a path of sustainable growth, collaboration and improved economic outcomes for all tourism and community stakeholders.”

Click here to access the Destination Management Visitor Plan’s Executive Summary.