by Gabriella Vukman
In a recent report released by the Victorian Government, the Yarra Valley and Ranges is said to have received a substantial rise in tourism.
Between the periods June 2023 to June 2024, the report suggested that the Yarra Ranges has seen a 17 per cent rise in total domestic expenditure due to tourism.
The report was based on results from Tourism Research Australia’s latest National and International Visitor survey results.
Despite the report’s outline of an increase in tourism in the Yarra Valley and Ranges, Yarra Ranges Tourism raised concerns surrounding harder times for the area’s accommodation vendors.
Chief Executive Officer at Yarra Ranges Tourism Simon O’Callaghan said, “The 17 percent rise is just day trips which is reflective of less people staying overnight which speaks to harder times for accommodation versus attractions.”
Where the number of weekend day trips rose between the period of June 2023 to 2024, Yarra Ranges Tourism suggests that weekdays in the area saw significantly less traffic.
Head of marketing and communications at Yarra Ranges Tourism Euan McDonald-Madden said, ”We are talking to accommodation providers and they are saying that they think they are seeing quieter times and I know that the wineries and cellar doors and attractions are saying that there is a mid-week quiet which is what we are trying to address,” he said.
“We are really trying to push that mid-week message and encourage people to make longer trips out here during the week.”
“A lot of people are unemployed in the community tourism industry and so we want businesses to be open as many days a week as they can to support our industry.”
Mr McDonald-Madden indicated that the cost of living crisis could be a contributor to lower numbers of people booking accommodation in the Yarra Ranges.
“Due to cost pressures, going away on a holiday may not be unattainable at the moment but a day trip to come and see nature, to go to Badger’s Weir or go up into the Dandenongs and have a singular day out is far more affordable,” Mr McDonald-Madden said.
With a growing population, plans to manage sudden influxes of tourists are a prominent part of the Yarra Ranges tourism sector.
Over the last few years, Yarra Ranges Council has collaborated with Yarra Ranges Tourism to create a Destination Management Plan addressing elements such as infrastructure and workforce in efforts to manage tourism growth.
Mr McDonald-Madden said, “We are working really closely with the Councils to make sure that we have the infrastructure and the planning happening so that we are planning and managing tourism growth in the right way.”
“In the coming years we’ll see Melbourne’s population of six million grow to eight or nine million people and that’s only going to create more tourism for our region and so we need to be really mindful of that, so the destination management plan is a big part of managing tourism growth,” Mr McDonald-Madden said.
