The Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson AM MP, has congratulated tourism businesses in the Mornington Peninsula for achieving one of the highest satisfaction ratings from visitors compared with other selected destinations across Australia.
The Visitor Profile and Satisfaction Report from Tourism Research Australia put the Mornington Peninsula in the top ten (eigth) out of 67 destinations across Australia for visitor satisfaction. The reports are being progressively rolled out across Australia. In a survey conducted from February to April 2010, over 60 per cent of visitors to the Mornington Peninsula said they were very satisfied with their visit.
The research stated visitors were particularly impressed by the variety of attractions and activities on offer in the region, a key reason for people choosing to visit the region. Of these, food and wine experiences rated highly with 58 per cent of visitors very satisfied with their experience.
Minister Ferguson said, "Through the Australian Government's National Long-Term Tourism Strategy we are going to continue our marketing campaigns and also work with industry and state and territory governments on supply side issues to deliver even better visitor satisfaction results. That means focussing on product quality and accreditation, building a skilled and innovative workforce, investing in infrastructure, and making the most of our natural competitive advantages such as our landscapes and indigenous and cultural heritage.
"Australians need to be reminded of the beauty of an Australian holiday. Tourism Australia and the Australian Government's "No Leave No Life" campaign encourages Australians to use their 123 million days of accumulated annual leave worth $33 billion and take a break at home. For the Mornington Peninsula that could mean visiting a winery cellar door, a bushwalk through the Point Nepean National Park, or take the family out to the Ashcombe maze and lavender garden," he said.
"Customer satisfaction is at the heart of a successful tourism destination, and a reputation for quality is built through the dedication of operators to invest in improved products and services. An immediate write down of assets valued at up to $5,000 will allow tourism business to replace assets and improve customer facilities.
The Visitor Profile and Satisfaction (VPS) Program is a part of the Destination Visitor Survey Program (DVS) run by the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism. Since 2006 about 70 VPS projects have been completed in Australian regional tourist destinations.
The Visitor Profile and Satisfaction Reports can be obtained at www.ret.gov.au/tra.