Supporting tourism recovery work, helping them to Parks Victoria quickly recognised how important it better understand the processes of was to support regional tourism in the Alps and Gippsland, which obviously suffered decreased fire and increasing their visitor numbers during and after the fires. environmental awareness. This Working with regional tourism organisations, knowledge will be passed on to Parks Victoria organised two workshops clients and customers enjoying specifically for licensed tour operators to increase their knowledge recreational and tourism activities in of fire ecology and the role of fire in the environment. the Alps. The intention was to their understanding and influence their future operations, so that they can pass knowledge and information on to their customers and clients. It also gave them an opportunity to mix with others that had been similarly Parks Victoria also offered to fund tour operators affected. to gain Ecotourism certification, although none The first workshop was run quite soon after the fires in actually completed this opportunity. early May 2003 at Dinner Plain and the second was A lot of goodwill, mutual understanding and support held at Falls Creek a year later to provide time for were between Parks Victoria and tour reflection and to observe the regeneration of the operators through these workshops and the efforts environment and the effects of the fire. to support and involve them with bushfire recovery Operators responded well to the workshops and work. have subsequently increased understanding. The workshops produced excellent discussions and All the fire-affected operators were given were a good general networking opportunity for the information materials, including the in ‘Fire industry, particularly to talk about and identify ways the that operators could work together in the post-fire Cycle of Life’ package. environment. In conjunction with the Victorian Tour Operators The initiatives developed by Parks Victoria, in Association (VTOA), licensed tour operators were conjunction with the tourism industry, to support offered the opportunity to carry out contracted works tourism operators post-fire were highlighted in a for Parks Victoria, mainly track assessments, as a way winning submission prepared specifically by Parks of supplementing their reduced business incomes. Victoria and Alpine Region Tourism in the destination marketing category at the 2004 Victorian Tourism Awards. The program also received a commendation Tour operators attended workshops at the National Tourism Awards for tourism-support program. and were involved with bushfire .
Supporting tourism Parks Victoria quickly recognised how important it was to support regional tourism in the Alps and Gippsland, which obviously suffered decreased visitor numbers during and after the fires. Working with regional tourism organisations, Parks Victoria organised two workshops specifically for licensed tour operators to increase their knowledge of fire ecology and the role of fire in the environment. The intention was to their understanding and influence their future operations, so that they can pass knowledge and information on to their customers and clients. It also gave them an opportunity to mix with others that had been similarly affected. The first workshop was run quite soon after the fires in early May 2003 at Dinner Plain and the second was held at Falls Creek a year later to provide time for reflection and to observe the regeneration of the environment and the effects of the fire. Operators responded well to the workshops and have subsequently increased understanding. All the fire-affected operators were given information materials, including the ‘Fire in the Cycle of Life’ package. In conjunction with the Victorian Tour Operators Association (VTOA), licensed tour operators were offered the opportunity to carry out contracted works for Parks Victoria, mainly track assessments, as a way of supplementing their reduced business incomes. Tour operators attended workshops and were involved with bushfire recovery work, helping them to better understand the processes of fire and increasing their environmental awareness. This knowledge will be passed on to clients and customers enjoying recreational and tourism activities in the Alps. Parks Victoria also offered to fund tour operators to gain Ecotourism certification, although none actually completed this opportunity. A lot of goodwill, mutual understanding and support were between Parks Victoria and tour operators through these workshops and the efforts to support and involve them with bushfire recovery work. The workshops produced excellent discussions and were a good general networking opportunity for the industry, particularly to talk about and identify ways that operators could work together in the post-fire environment. The initiatives developed by Parks Victoria, in conjunction with the tourism industry, to support tourism operators post-fire were highlighted in a winning submission prepared specifically by Parks Victoria and Alpine Region Tourism in the destination marketing category at the 2004 Victorian Tourism Awards. The program also received a commendation at the National Tourism Awards for tourism-support program. .
The-recovery-story-body.docx