Top seller Melbourne never fails to impress Kiwi travellers and right now, it’s red hot. Events and shows are pushing up numbers while loads of operators specialising in guys and girls trips are attracting clients all throughout the year.
“There’s no high season, no low season but certainly around big events there is more opportunity,” said Tourism Victoria representative Margaret Spiro. “Events like the Melbourne Cup generate a lot of travelling but also when you look at the month of March, you’ve got the Grand Prix, L’Oreal Fashion Festival as well as the Food and Wine Festival - it’s a month of activity. There’s always something going on in Melbourne.”
House of Travel representative Brent Thomas said the Aussie city is always a favourite for clients around spring and autumn with events and sales topping the activity list.
“With all the events in spring, numbers have been looking good to Melbourne,” said Thomas. “There have been some great packages put together with airlines, hotels and shows. Shows like Rock of Ages and Love Never Dies create a lot of business for us and you’ve also got some special events like the Melbourne Cup, the Australian Tennis Open and the Flower Show.”
Summer is always a hive of activity and the city’s markets are a source of great entertainment, even if clients would prefer to strike shopping off the to-do list.
Fresh food, art and musical performances are just some of the highlights at the Queen Vic Market in the CBD. Clients can pick up works by local artists at Fitzroy's Rose Street Artists' Market and bookworms can head to Fed Square for cheap books. With weekend farmers' markets, suburban collectors' markets and beachside night markets in the summer time, your clients are bound to find one that suits them.
But if clients are really serious about shopping, get them on a Melbourne shopping tour. Many shopping tour operators tailor their tours to suit the needs of each shopper.
Thomas recommends Melbourne Outlet Shopping Tours.
“We work with Melbourne Outlet Shopping Tours because it is a real favourite with clients,” said Thomas. “The Bargains and Bubbles tour is great. They cover a large number of stores and you get lunch and a glass of bubbles – great for a girls weekend away. Another favourite is the Café Culture tour with Hidden Secret who we also work with.”
Create the ultimate girls weekend itinerary by combining a shopping tour and show with a Yarra Valley wine tour.
“Often you’ll find that tour operators do a combination of these sorts of things so clients can take in a show, go to the Yarra Valley and take part in a shopping tour,” said Thomas. “You can pack so much in over a three or four-day weekend. It makes it so easy to sell from that point of view.”
Melbourne Outlet Shopping Tours work in conjunction with Melbourne Sports Tours, which specialise in all things manly such as brewery, surf, food and sports tours.
“The State of Victoria prides itself on being the sporting hub of Australia so it’s always popular in that respect, especially for the Melbourne Cup, Aussie Rules and cricket at the MCG,” said Thomas.
Flight Centre product manager Jenny Wallis said there’s plenty of activities for guys while the girls are out shopping.
“Sports lovers should get amongst all that Melbourne has on offer with Melbourne Sport Tours,” said Wallis. “Kiwis should have a go at AFL - Melbourne Sport Tours do a beginners course - or check out the Melbourne crime scene with GO West Tours, then tour the city by bike with Real Melbourne Bike Tours.”
Wallis said biking around Melbourne has become a major tourist attraction in recent years having recently been named the second best biking city in the world after Copenhagen.
“Melbourne is very flat and a great city to bike around and explore all the different suburbs. Real Melbourne Bike Tours offer a four-hour bike tour with coffee and cake in Little Italy and lunch at Queen Victoria Market.”
If clients don’t want to take a tour, Melbourne itself now has over 30 Bike Share Stations situated around the city for visitors to hire bikes for A$2.50 per 30 minutes.
There are many bike trails around the cities and many hotels stock maps especially for cyclists.
During summer, for both guys and gals, Spiro suggests getting out to Melbourne’s beaches.
“The main beach in Melbourne is St Kilda, but if you head out along the coast towards Mornington Peninsula, there are fantastic beaches along there,” said Spiro. “You’ve got Phillip Island and all along Bell’s Beach and the Bellarine Peninsula the beaches are pretty awesome. As for the vineyards, you can be out of Melbourne within an hour to the Yarra Valley or to the likes of Belford or the Mornington Peninsula. There are many wine tour companies that operate out of Melbourne in the mornings which drop you back on the same day. It’s best to do about three wineries and have lunch in one of them.” – Hayley Barnett
Upcoming events
Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies
May 22, 2011 - Dec 18
Regent Theatre, 191 Collins St
The story of The Phantom of the Opera continues in Andrew Lloyd Webber's latest musical masterpiece, Love Never Dies. This is the first new Australian production of an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical in more than 20 years. Melbourne is only the second city in the world to host the musical after London.
The musical is directed by Simon Phillips, choreographed by Graeme Murphy and designed by Gabriela Tylesova.
LoveNeverDies.com.au
Suzuki Night Market
Starting Nov 16
All your clients Christmas shopping can all be done under one roof at
Queen Victoria Market’s Suzuki Night Market. Starting on 16 November each Wednesday night, the market offers 200 stalls selling fashion, handmade jewellery and artisan wares. Whilst they shop, visitors can sample world cuisine, produce and local wine and beer from regional Victoria and listen to live world music performances and local bands.
Melbourne Christmas Makeover
Dec 2
City Square
The centerpiece of Melbourne’s Christmas ‘makeover’ will be at City Square, renamed Christmas Square for the month of December. As well as carol singers and the city’s official Christmas tree, the story of Christmas will come to life in a traditional Nativity Scene and interactive story book. The lights will be turned on
for the first time on December 2, marking 31 days of Christmas in Melbourne.
Carols by Candlelight
Dec 24
The Sidney Myer Music Bowl
Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight is a Melbourne institution and a perfect family event for visitors. The event brings together Australia’s top entertainers performing a mix of the season’s contemporary and traditional carols. The Sidney Myer Music Bowl will be transformed into a visual masterpiece, as thousands of candles light up the night sky.
Vodafone Boxing Day Test
Dec 26 – 30
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Brunton Ave
The traditional Boxing Day Test at the MCG is the most anticipated cricket match each year in world cricket. This summer will see Australia give it their all to defeat their rivals India on home soil. As well as the cricket, there will be plenty of activities in and around the MCG. The Outfield precinct will provide interactive cricket displays for families in Yarra Park.
cricketvictoria.com.au
Australian Open - The Grand Slam of Asia/Pacific
Jan 16 – 29, 2012
Melbourne Park, Batman Ave
For two weeks in January, the best tennis players in the world will fight it out for one of the biggest Grand Slam(R) titles tennis has to offer - the Australian Open.
Check the website for all the latest news and further ticket information from Tennis Australia and the Australian Open.
australianopen.com