Grand final Friday cost Sovereign Hill $20,000 last year and the tourism operators has budgeted for a similar loss in 2016, its chief executive officer said.
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Sovereign Hill CEO Jeremy Johnson’s comments come as the state government paints the new public holiday as a boon for tourism in regional centres.
But Mr Johnson said visitor numbers were the same as the year before the public holiday which debuted in 2015.
“A quarter of our market is international, it’s not stimulated by the fact that it’s a public holiday,” Mr Johnson said.
Visit Ballarat chief CEO Noel Dempsey said he was hopeful the newly minted public holiday would gain momentum.
“Whilst there is still not a groundswell of support from our tourism members, we’re hoping that it will continue to develop,” he said.
“That said, anyone that isn’t watching the Bulldogs this weekend should head 90 minutes up the road to enjoy a fantastic weekend away and support our operators that are staying open.”
Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford used the grand final holiday in a spruik for the government’s a $720,000 package to support the state’s wine industry, particularly in regional Victoria.
“With the grand final holiday tomorrow, there has never been a better time to experience regional Victoria, try a nice drop and support our growers,” she said.