4.4 Marketing Melbourne
Vision: Melbourne is a primary Australian tourist destination
and will consolidate its tourism gateway status for regional Victoria
and southern Australia.
Objectives
- Maintain and develop Melbourne as a sophisticated, vibrant, liveable,
authentic, inclusive and sustainable destination.
- Optimise the economic, social and environmental benefits of tourism
activity in Melbourne.
- Spread the benefits of tourism throughout the metropolitan area.
- Ensure the on-going support of the full range of tourism industry
stakeholders including government, other industries, special interest
groups and the wider community.
- Facilitate investment in major refurbishment, revitalisation and
development projects for tourism.
- Develop product and infrastructure that meets the needs and expectations
of priority markets and helps to disperse visitors geographically
and seasonally.
BACKGROUND
Why a Melbourne Strategy?
Melbourne is Victoria's primary tourist destination. Its destination
status is mature in terms of level of investment, visitor numbers,
breadth, depth and scale of accommodation, attractions and services.
As well as being a destination in its own right, Melbourne is
a gateway to regional Victoria. Melbourne therefore has a responsibility
to its regional partners to maximise the State's tourism potential
through strategic links and cooperation.
The Marketing Melbourne Strategy aims to integrate the
strategic directions from elsewhere in the plan and provide a
focus for the issues, needs, challenges, priorities and opportunities
to consolidate and grow Melbourne's tourism status.
In this strategy, the word "Melbourne" refers to the
greater Melbourne area, not solely the City of Melbourne.
Development of Melbourne as a Tourist Destination
Melbourne is currently perceived as a desirable place to live
and to visit. Its ranking as one of the world's most liveable
cities is supported by the breadth and depth of tourism assets,
products and experiences that are increasingly competitive in
the national market place.
Nationally, this perception of Melbourne can be attributed in
part to the Jigsaw campaign, which highlighted the strengths
of Melbourne and created a point of difference from other Australian
destinations.
Strategic Plan 2002 - 2006
The Strategic Plan 2002 - 2006, aims to accelerate the
development of Melbourne as a vibrant and successful tourist destination
through:
- Increased focus on holistic destination development (environmental,
social and economic benefits);
- Greater cooperation and improved communication between key tourism
players throughout industry and government;
- Evolution of industry structures with the creation of Destination
Melbourne Inc. as the major vehicle for cooperative marketing
activity;
- A focus on visitor satisfaction with product and service delivery
developed as a competitive advantage;
- The strengthening of Melbourne as the gateway to Victoria and
an emphasis on strategies to disperse visitors geographically
and seasonally; and
- The imaging of Melbourne as a stylish, sophisticated and romantic
city with a diverse array of product strengths and attributes.
Markets for Melbourne
Domestic leisure markets for Melbourne
Tourism Victoria and Destination Melbourne Inc. have identified
the Roy Morgan value segments of Socially Aware, Visible Achievement
and Young Optimism as the target markets for short breaks and
holidays to Melbourne. Source domestic markets are New South Wales
(Sydney), Queensland (Brisbane) and South Australia (Adelaide).
Country Victorians and Melburnians are also a key market for
many attractions, services, and local destinations within the
greater Melbourne area.
International leisure markets for Melbourne
The primary international leisure markets for Melbourne are the
UK, USA, China, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, and Germany. These
are described in the International section of this plan (Chapter
4).
Business events market
The high yielding business events market is an important economic
driver for Melbourne. More information on this market can be found
in the Business Events section of this plan (Chapter 9).
Integrated Planning and Sustainable Destination Development
A vibrant, wealthy, welcoming, innovative and sustainable city
that is good for the residents and business also makes a desirable
tourism destination. Therefore the tourism industry has a stake
in broader planning processes across local and State government.
Holistic and integrated planning is essential to ensure that development
is consistent, sustainable, in keeping with community aspirations
and able to optimise the potential benefits of tourism activity.
There are a number of plans and initiatives currently in place
or under development for Melbourne.
The Metropolitan Strategy, being developed by the Victorian Department
of Infrastructure aims to create a vision for integrated land
use and transport planning to enhance Melbourne's livability over
the next 20 years. It will articulate the key strategic directions
in relation to the shape of metropolitan development, the management
of activity centres, major infrastructure development priorities,
integration of land use and transport policies and management
of green wedges and open space. This will have flow on benefits
and implications for tourism.
City Plan 2010 is the municipal strategic statement for the City
of Melbourne. It aims to achieve a thriving and sustainable city
that enjoys economic prosperity, social equity and environmental
quality. Key themes:
- Connected and accessible city;
- Innovative and vital business city;
- Inclusive and engaging city; and
- Environmentally responsible city.
The specific strategies that underpin these themes all have benefits
for the tourism industry. In particular, Melbourne's position
as a destination in its own right and as a gateway to regional
Victoria will be strengthened by strategies related to facilitating
local, national and global connections and alliances, developing
city precincts and promenades, revitalising the retail core, nurturing
artistic and cultural life, improving public facilities, amenities
and access, maintaining city safety, providing information and
leisure services integrating communications systems, improving
transport infrastructure, ensuring efficient resource use and
protecting biodiversity.
Linking People and Spaces is a strategy and vision for the continued
growth and enhancement of the network of open space throughout
metropolitan Melbourne. While its primary focus is on open space
for Melburnians, it recognises that the parklands, waterways and
river corridors are also important to tourism by adding to the
general ambience and appeal of Melbourne and providing for specific
activities and experiences.
These strategies will have a profound impact on the shape and
personality of Melbourne in the coming years and will subsequently
affect tourism in the city.
Another key element of sustainable destination development for
Melbourne, relates to the cultural precincts of the central business
district and other municipalities. e.g. city precincts of Southbank,
Chinatown, Flinders Lane, Hardware Lane, Lygon Street Carlton,
Brunswick Street Fitzroy, Swan Street Richmond, Chapel Street
Prahran, Acland Street St Kilda and Chadstone and its outlying
villages. These precincts and villages are the windows to the
cosmopolitan and community aspects of Melbourne, and one of its
strengths.
Asset Development and Investment Attraction
In the past five years there has been a significant number of
development projects that have contributed to the increased success
of Melbourne as a tourist destination. These include the Melbourne
Museum, the Melbourne Aquarium, the Royal Botanic Gardens redevelopment,
a range of hotels including Melbourne Airport Hilton and Beacon
Cove Port Melbourne, as well as several golf courses in close
proximity to the city. Melbourne road infrastructure has also
been significantly upgraded with the inclusion of City Link and
the Western Ring Road.
There are currently further infrastructure projects underway
or proposed. Major developments at Docklands are outlined in the
Department of Infrastructure's The Yarra Plan will redefine
the centre of Melbourne and reconnect the city to the waterfront.
The Yarra Plan aims to create a popular and accessible
destination for inner city Melbourne that will renew and revitalise
Melbourne's connection with the Yarra River. The integration of
projects in Docklands, Northbank, Southbank, Melbourne's sports
and entertainment precinct and the inner city parklands will provide
continuous access along both sides of the Yarra River, developing
landscaped promenades and public spaces, and facilitating commercial
developments that contribute to activity and interest in the precinct.
Major projects of particular tourism interest relate to implementation
of a masterplan for the Arts Complex, Birrarung Marr (Riverside
Park), Flinders St station integration and Commonwealth Games
facilities.
The opening of Federation Square will create a new focus for
arts, events, cafe culture and promenading in combination with
the redevelopment of the National Gallery of Victoria. Federation
Square will house the National Gallery of Victoria's Ian Potter
Collection of Australian Art, Australian Centre for the Moving
Image and the Melbourne Visitor Information Centre, and physically
connect the Central Business District with the Yarra River.
There are also a number of transport proposals that will have
benefits for tourism:
Industry Structure, Coordination and Leadership
Destination Melbourne Inc.
In response to the need for a structured approach to strategic
cooperative marketing for Melbourne, Destination Melbourne Inc
(DMI) has been established as the peak co-operative marketing
body for Melbourne.
DMI is an industry driven, not for profit incorporated association.
It does not have a formal membership structure, but recognises
membership through participation in the Destination Melbourne
strategic marketing program.
The key objective of DMI is to unify the Melbourne industry and
provide a platform to facilitate co-operative marketing and build
and support Brand Melbourne.
Destination Melbourne will progressively assume responsibility
for the development and production of key publications including
the Melbourne Jigsaw brochure, Official Visitors Guide
to Melbourne and Melbourne Visitors Map as part of
an integrated marketing plan.
Strategic alliances
The tourism industry in Melbourne includes hotels, hostels and
other accommodation providers, attractions, multi-purpose venues,
tour operators, guides, restaurants, retailers, events managers,
travel agents and wholesalers, transport operators, training providers
and others.
In addition, there are a large number of agencies and organisations
involved in the development and marketing of Melbourne for short-breaks,
holidays and business events. These include:
- City of Melbourne (CoM)- responsible for infrastructure development,
the provision of visitor facilities and services and the marketing
of the city to Melburnians and other target markets. Because
of its capital city role CoM has a leadership responsibility
to other municipalities in Melbourne and regional Victoria;
- Other Municipal councils - have a variety of tourism development
and marketing functions;
- The Melbourne Convention and Visitors' Bureau - responsible
for attracting business events;
- Australia Pacific Airports - managers of Melbourne Airport;
- Tourism Victoria - the government agency which markets the
attractiveness of the State as a tourism destination and acts
as a catalyst for industry growth and development; and
- Australian Tourist Commission - markets Australia and Melbourne
internationally.
Individual operators as well as organisations and agencies expend
vast amounts of resources on planning, research, training, printed
collateral, website development, advertising, promotion, visitor
servicing and other activities.
To optimise its efficiency and effectiveness the industry needs
to develop alliances for:
- Research projects;
- Destination development and community cooperation;
- Cooperative advertising and promotion;
- Visitor services provision;
- Infrastructure development and investment attraction;
and
- Professional development and training.
ISSUES
The issues and needs of a sustainable tourism industry must be
adequately considered in strategic planning processes undertaken
by the private and public sectors, if the potential of the industry
is to be realised.
Tourism marketing and infrastructure development needs to be
consistent with community aspirations. This includes maintaining
authentic, accessible, diverse and vital cultural precincts, villages,
laneways and shopping opportunities with a strong sense of place.
There will be a need to research the effects on visitation and
community attitudes of a changing physical and social environment,
including the effects of new infrastructure.
As a new marketing body, Destination Melbourne Inc. must establish
credibility in the marketplace as the peak marketing body for
Melbourne. DMI has the potential to facilitate greater integration,
synergy, economies of scale and private sector support. However
there is a need to clarify roles and relationships between DMI,
Tourism Victoria, City of Melbourne, Melbourne Convention and
Visitors' Bureau, Victorian Tourism Industry Council, regional
campaign committees and municipal councils in the greater Melbourne
area to avoid duplication and making best use of the available
resources.
Increasing ownership of, involvement in and commitment to tourism
programs and initiatives by all stakeholders is a key issue, including
a lack of involvement of many retailers in cooperative marketing
activity.
STRATEGIES
- Market and develop Melbourne as Victoria's primary national
and international destination and gateway to regional Victoria.
- Ensure tourism is considered in strategic planning processes
and initiatives for the development of Melbourne.
- Support Destination Melbourne Inc. as the peak cooperative
marketing body for Melbourne.
- Develop a three year Destination Melbourne marketing plan
in consultation with industry and local government, which incorporates
the tourism assets and businesses of greater Melbourne and defines
a brand for Melbourne in collaboration with all key players.
- Develop an ongoing collaborative relationship between City
of Melbourne and Tourism Victoria to ensure synergistic tourism
development and marketing of Melbourne and build international
relationships.
