Tourism bosses meet

By Kath Gannaway
NATIONAL tourism leaders converged on Healesville last week to look at the importance of regional tourism to local economies.
McEwen MP and Federal Tourism Minister Fran Bailey hosted the Tourism Minister’s Advisory Council (TMAC) meeting at Healesville Sanctuary last week.
“It is important, not just for me, to understand the importance of tourism to local regional economies but for national industry leaders as well,” Ms Bailey said. Local tourist operators were invited to lunch with industry leaders to foster greater understanding for future development.
Ms Bailey said the TMAC meeting evaluated key issues affecting the sustainable development and growth of Australia’s tourism industry and looked at medium to long term strategy for the industry.
“It is vital that our industry leaders understand the grass roots issues of the industry,” Ms Bailey said.
Jeffry Farman, chairman of Yarra Ranges Regional Marketing (YRRM) Ltd, said meeting the minister and industry leaders over lunch at the sanctuary had been of great benefit to Yarra Valley operators.
“It really was a wonderful opportunity created by the minister for operators in the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges,” Mr Farman said.
He said benefits which flowed to local operators included obtaining ideas and concepts relevant to the region and making contacts at a very high level within the tourism industry.