Vic: Free, discounted petrol to entice more tourists

AAP General News (Australia)
08-11-2006
Vic: Free, discounted petrol to entice more tourists

By Charisse Ede

MELBOURNE, Aug 11 AAP - Tourism operators in regional Victoria are offering free or
heavily discounted fuel in a bid to entice more visitors as petrol prices continue to
soar.

Accommodation owners and major tourist destinations such as Sovereign Hill are offering
up to $50 free fuel with bookings and ticket sales.

The Victorian Tourism Centre this week advertised special "getaway" deals around Victoria
that include free $25 and $50 BP pre/pay cars for multiple bookings.

Victorian Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) chairman Jeremy Johnson said this was a growing
trend, as more tourism operators tried to stem a decline in visitors to country Victoria.

"Petrol vouchers are increasing in usage," he said.

"In particular for regional areas, it's a way of overcoming the high petrol prices."

Mr Johnson said destinations such as Rutherglen, in Victoria's north east, introduced
petrol vouchers and rebates last year.

One holiday unit in nearby Bright is offering vouchers for 10 cents a litre off petrol
for bookings made until the end of this month.

Mr Johnson, who is also chief executive of Sovereign Hill in Ballarat, said they had
offered petrol vouchers during school holidays.

Sovereign Hill provided 10 cents a litre off petrol while a local service station provided
an extra four cents a litre off.

Mr Johnson said the offer was capped at 40 litres so was worth just over $5.

"The research we had was that it was welcomed. It wasn't the absolute driver of the
decision to come here, but it was a welcome bonus," he said.

"And it gave us a point of competitive edge to other regional destinations."

Mr Johnson said Tourism Victoria statistics showed an alarming drop in domestic tourism
to regional areas.

He said between 2004 and 2005, there had been a 22 per cent drop in visits to the Goldfields
region, an 18 per cent decrease in Gippsland and 17 per cent drop to the Mornington Peninsula.

But conversely, areas close to Melbourne have had increased visits, with a seven per
cent rise in the Yarra Valley, just an hour from Melbourne.

He said while the high cost of petrol was the major contributor to the fall in visits,
it was also affected by competitive factors such as low-cost airlines and people being
time poor.

AAP ce/dk/jt/bwl

KEYWORD: PETROL TOURISM

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