Victoria has long been considered a leader in the visitor economy with strengths related to major events, food and wine, our diverse multicultural communities, artistic and cultural experiences, and scenic beauty.
Melbourne is recognised as one of the world's most liveable cities, and a premier international education and events destination, while regional Victoria is well known for its significant visitor attractions such as the Twelve Apostles, the Great Ocean Road, Sovereign Hill and the little Penguins at Phillip Island.
Victoria offers world-class experiences to visitors who come here for recreational purposes, major events, business events, and to study.
Visitors bring money to Victoria and support jobs and investment. In 2020-21 tourism in Victoria was estimated to be worth $10.7 billion to the economy in Gross State Product and generated approximately 120,000 jobs.1
For more information, visit: Economic value of tourism.
Victoria's strengths
The state's strengths include:
- Victoria is the second most visited destination nationally.
- For Australian consumers, Melbourne is acknowledged as the leading sophisticated, stylish, trendy, cultural and creative city in Australia. This brand is based on a suite of public facilities such as the arts and sports precincts, and network of visitor-friendly laneways and streets in and around the Melbourne central business district.
- Regional Victoria has strong positioning as a destination for spa and wellness, food and wine, touring and cycling, and golf.
- A major sporting and cultural events calendar, providing year-round experiences for locals and visitors alike and helping to showcase the state in Australia and around the world.
- Victoria's reputation as a high quality education and business destination, and as a liveable, safe and clean environment, has underpinned broader growth in education, business and leisure travel.
Sector strategy
The Victorian Government's objectives for supporting the growth and sustainability of the tourism, events and visitor economy sector are outlined in the Visitor Economy Recovery and Reform Plan.
Source: 2020-21 State Tourism Satellite Account, Tourism Research Australia, released May 2022
