The Victorian Minister for Tourism, John Pandazopoulos, has announced a new initiative that will drive business travel into Melbourne and Regional Victoria.
The Victorian Meetings and Events Service (VMES) has been established as part of the Victoria Government's ongoing recovery strategy for tourism and business events.
"The new Victoria Meetings and Events Service is designed to generate more short-term meetings and events business for Victoria," Mr Pandazopoulos said.
VMES is a cooperative venture between the Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB) and the Regional Victorian Conference Group
(RVGC).
With a venue database including RVCG and MCVB members, VMES gives anyone planning a meeting or event, immediate access to Victoria's most comprehensive range of business meetings and events venues for up to 500 people.
Anyone, in any part of Australia, looking for a venue in Regional Victoria or Melbourne, can confidentially access the free venue booking service by calling 1300 555 857, with calls forwarded to sales representatives in Melbourne or Sydney. Representatives will provide comprehensive assistance, handling initial liaison with venues, sending out client briefs, short listing venues and forwarding tailored proposals to the client.
This is the first time that either MCVB or RVCG has had staff located in Sydney to drive business from that market.
The VMES strategy is to aggressively pursue short to medium term business opportunities for Melbourne and Regional Victorian venues and tourism operators, by encouraging meeting planners to keep their business events within Victoria and to attract interstate and regional events to Victoria.
A marketing campaign featuring the slogan So many venues. So little time, will commence in the trade press in July. Telesales and a direct mail campaign will commence in May. |
