Parks Victoria

December 2013 Summer Edition

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Licensed Tour Operator News
 
 
 
 
 
Season's Greetings from Parks Victoria

Seasons Greetings from Parks Victoria and the Tourism Team. We extend our Best Wishes for a happy and safe Holiday Season and we look forward to working with you in 2014.

Warmest Regards Alysia, Scott, Sasha, Claudia, Carolyn, Megan, Marko and Ron, as well as our Parks Victoria Regional Tourism Team Carol, Kylie and Julie.

 
 
 
 
 
Licensing Update

Dear Operator,

Welcome to the summer edition of the Licensed Tour Operator and Activity Provider newsletter.

Trip Returns and Use Fee Payments 

A reminder to all Licensed Tour Operators (LTOs) trip return and use fees for Quarter 1, (1 July - 30 September 2013) are due for LTOs who elect to submit their trip return and use fees documentation on a quarterly basis. LTOs who nominate to pay the cap fee have been issued with a periodic invoice. If you have not yet done so, please forward completed trip return documentation and use fees to your LTO Business Contact Officer or Tourism Partnerships Unit at touroperators@parks.vic.gov.au.

As we prepare for another busy summer season it is a good opportunity to reflect on the past year which seen a 14% increase in Licensed Tour Operators in Victoria and several compliance activities conducted across the State. The 2013/2014 licensing period is now well advanced and will be finalised soon. Parks Victoria would like to welcome all new and existing operators.

Emergency Response Plans

All LTOs need to be aware of the safety issues during the summer season that may affect their tours and activities and that they meet their licence conditions. Now is a good opportunity to review your Emergency Response Plan.

A Licence Tour Operator Fire Update fact sheet has been distributed. If you did not receive the Licence Tour Operator Fire Update fact sheet, please access it here.

We remind all operators of their responsibility to develop and maintain an Emergency Response Plan and to notify and file a full incident report as soon as practical regarding relevant event. This is a requirement of your licence condition 7.3 and 7.4. Incident report templates can be accessed from here.

2013/2014 Fees

We remind operators of next year's increase in fees ahead of the full transition in 2014/15. Fee information can be found here.

Operators opting to report trip returns and pay use fees on a quarterly basis can find an update reporting spreadsheet here.

 
 
 
 
 
Compliance

On 1 November Parks Victoria, Transport Safety Victoria and Victoria Police conducted compliance exercise to the Twelve Apostles Visitor Centre site.

Over the three and a half hour exercise 23 buses were assessed. Of the 23 buses sited 11 were compliant operators and seven unlicensed operators. Contact has been made with the unlicensed operators and we have received several applications. The Tourism Unit will continue to follow up.

Parks Victoria now has the ability to issue infringement notices on the spot for unlicensed operators found operating on public land. Fines of up to $1,440.00 now payable for operating on public land or state waters if unlicensed.

The Tourism Units focus will continue to be on unlicensed operators. We will be conducting field-based compliance activities around the state on both land and water including compliance activities in the New Year at key visitor sites.

The Tourism Unit will also be undertaking desktop audits to ensure operators are maintaining trip return data, insurance and accreditation certification documentation.

To assist Parks Victoria all operators need to ensure their business details are correct, have affixed the vehicle sticker to their vehicles and ID tags are being carried.

 
 
 
 
 
Value Add Program
Parks Victoria has continued to promote the variety of experiences and activities that LTOs offer. A full page advertisement has been placed in the Destination Melbourne Official Visitors Guide Autumn 2013 edition. The Parks Victoria 2013/14 Licence Tour Operator Membership Mark is available for use on marketing collateral and websites.
 
 
 
 
 
And the winner is.....

The RACV Victorian Tourism Awards 2013 were held on Monday, 11 November at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. LTOs and commercial tourism partners were well represented within the 90 entrants across 32 categories for this year’s awards.

Parks Victoria sponsored the Health and Wellbeing Tourism Award, presented by Chief Executive Dr Bill Jackson to Shizuka Ryokan Japanese Country Spa and Wellness Retreat.

The winners will now head to the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards in Sydney scheduled for February next year. For a full list of winners and finalists visit here.

 
 
 
 
 
Great Ocean Walk Map Third Edition

It's time to get your order in for the updated Great Ocean Walk Topographical Map before the busy summer season.

To order copies of the map or obtain a Great Ocean Walk order form contact sasha.sarago@parks.vic.gov.au.

 
 
 
 
 
All-terrain wheelchair on the Great Ocean Walk

For the first time a visitor in an all-terrain wheelchair was able join his family as they strolled along the spectacular Great Ocean Walk. David Stratton was a keen bush walker until his Multiple Sclerosis condition meant he could only get around outdoors in a wheelchair. Recently he and his family, accompanied by Parks Victoria staff, enjoyed the walk from Cape Otway Lighthouse car park through to Aire River Camp Ground. It’s the first time the Trailrider wheelchair has been used on the Great Ocean Walk.

David has been a leading advocate for having these specially designed all terrain wheelchairs available to visitors with mobility limitations in Victorian parks. As a result, Trailriders are now available at four parks across the state. For more information go to www.surfcoast.vic.gov.au.

 
 
 
 
 
Conservation Volunteers Australia

Conservation Volunteers Australia in partnership with Parks Victoria conducted a Naturewise product audit at Point Nepean National Park on 11-12 December. The two-day program couples remote camera monitoring work with some spectacular coastal walks near Sorrento. Audit participants assisted the Rangers in gathering important data from remote cameras, which included footage of echidnas, wallabies, long nosed bandicoots and other native species.

‘Protecting the Point’ product will be launched early next year and contribute to the critical environmental science and park management at Point Nepean National Park.

For more information on Naturewise please click here.

 
 
 
For More Information

Parks Victoria's Website – www.parks.vic.gov.au

Parks Victoria's Infocentre – 13 1963