Stakeholders in the tourism industry met to discuss the future of regional tourism at a consultation with state government on Friday.
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The roundtable discussion held at Morshead Park was the first in a series of consultations as part of the Regional Tourism Review.
It comes amid a time of disruption and controversial changes for tourism in Ballarat after City of Ballarat announced it would cut short a funding agreement with Visit Ballarat and bring responsibility for tourism services in-house.
City of Ballarat chief executive Justine Linley attended the Regional Tourism Review meeting, with councillors and other staff.
Ms Linley said key take outs from the meeting were a willingness to work together and more broadly across the region.
"..We need clarity in our marketing approach, we need to reduce duplication, increase collaboration and have Visit Victoria decentralised outside of Melbourne," she said in a written statement.
How the decentralisation of Visit Victoria would occur is not yet known, with no current confirmation of regional divisions and where regional headquarters would be based.
We need clarity in our marketing approach, we need to reduce duplication, increase collaboration and have Visit Victoria decentralised outside of Melbourne.
- Justine Linley, City of Ballarat CEO
The roundtable meeting in Ballarat was the first in a series of 13 scheduled consultations with industry, local councils and communities across Victoria in July and August.
Regional Tourism Review Special Adviser and Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas said in a statement the meetings provided industry and communities with the opportunity to have a say on future directions for regional tourism, including governance arrangements.
"Our regional communities are proud and unrivaled on the world stage - this review is about taking it to the next level and capitalising on untapped opportunities and hidden gems in regional Victoria," she said.
The Regional Tourism Review Discussion Paper released earlier this month identified key focus themes that are important for success; strengthening our tourism offering, making the most of our marketing spending, supporting industry, enhancing Regional Tourism Boards and better coordinating efforts.
The discussion paper identified international visitation as a major opportunity for growth. Data shows only one per cent of visitors to the regions are international, compared to nine per cent in Melbourne.
Visit engage.vic.gov.au/regional-tourism-review to complete the online consultation survey.
Rochelle Kirkham
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
