THE state of Victoria, particularly the capital Melbourne, plans to use World Travel Market to promote its sports events – the cause of extensive media coverage over the past 12 months.
Fixtures such as the annual Melbourne Cup race meeting and Australian Formula One Grand Prix, as well as the capital’s rising status as a top city for the arts, have helped increase its exposure.
At WTM, the state also plans to promote its direct involvement in the 2000 Sydney Olympics by distributing a flyer to advertise the Olympic football matches being staged in Melbourne next year.
Tourism Victoria regional manager UK Valerie Arends said: “It is fitting that some of the Olympic events are being held in Melbourne as the city has traditionally been the cultural and sporting capital of Australia and was the country’s first Olympics city, having hosted the 1956 Games.”
Arends also plans to publicise Victoria’s role in the Olympic Torch Relay in July before it ends in Sydney prior to the opening of the two-week Games in September.
She added that interest in sporting events has prompted the trade to feature more Melbourne and Victoria product including unusual and out-of-the-way options.
Arends said that the Great Ocean Road touring route continued to be successfully marketed as a region second to Melbourne itself.
However, last month Tourism Victoria co-hosted a UK educational with Singapore Airlines which highlighted some alternative touring attractions.
These included a route along the Murray River which is famous for its wine, a picnic at Hanging Rock and a visit to Ballarat to see the Sovereign Hill gold-mining village and wildlife park.