Tourism Greater Geelong and The Bellarine

Tourism Greater Geelong and The Bellarine The region's peak tourism body - we're for tourism. The businesses, the destination, the visitors.

As the official regional tourism organisation, we're here to help Geelong and The Bellarine grow into a globally-recognised destination delivering worl-standard visitor experiences.

🚨 Final Call: Victorian Tourism Awards Nominations Are Closing!! Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) have extended ...
04/06/2026

🚨 Final Call: Victorian Tourism Awards Nominations Are Closing!!

Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) have extended the cutoff date to nominate - so this is your very last chance to nominate for the 2026 Victorian Tourism Awards.

With the National Tourism Awards coming to Geelong next year, there’s never been a better moment to showcase your business on a bigger stage.

And the great news is you don't have to go it alone!!!

We’re offering FREE one-on-one mentoring to financial TGGB members to help you put your best foot forward. Whether it’s your first submission or you’re aiming for another Gold, this tailored support makes all the difference.

Last year we had 13 businesses from our region submit a Tourism Awards submission and 12 - yes 12 - placed with either a Gold, Silver or Bronze and Q Train took it up a notch and followed that with a Silver at the National Tourism Awards!!!!

Check out the winners list from last year here: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7399950809024884736

If you achieve Gold - you go straight through to represent Victoria nationally at the National Tourism Awards which will be held at Nyaal Banyul in Geelong in early 2027.

The first step is simple: Nominate ASAP via link below and contact us to secure your mentoring support.

👉 To nominate now & find out more about the Victorian Tourism Awards, visit here: https://www.vtic.com.au/victoriantourismawards/

👉 To secure your mentoring support email us via [email protected]

We'd love to help you however we can. If you're not sure or still thinking about - get in touch with us!

Let’s see as many Geelong & Bellarine businesses on the winners list as possible!

Our region has TWO finalists in the Victorian Top Tourism Town Awards, and we need your help to bring home the gold. ✨ ...
29/05/2026

Our region has TWO finalists in the Victorian Top Tourism Town Awards, and we need your help to bring home the gold.

✨ Ocean Grove has been named a finalist in the Top Tourism Town category (population over 5,000)!

✨ Portarlington has been named a finalist in the Small Tourism Town category (population between 1,500-5,000) for the second year running!

We need your help to bring home the 🥇 GOLD. Vote for Ocean Grove and Portarlington and you could go in the draw to win a luxurious Melbourne escape for two.

Vote now: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NMHHCYH (and don’t forget to share with all your family and friends too!).

Victoria Tourism Industry Council - VTIC

Last month we hosted 20 Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW) members on a famil - and what a day with nothing but...
28/05/2026

Last month we hosted 20 Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW) members on a famil - and what a day with nothing but blue skies and sunshine!

Starting in Docklands, the group caught Port Phillip Ferries across the bay, before a day of exploring The Bellarine transported by Explore Australia Tours. First stop was Quiddity Place for a wine pairing and tour, then The Queenscliff Hotel for lunch at Miettas with wine pairing from Banks Road Vineyard and lastly afternoon tea at The Royal Queenscliff. We even squeezed a history walking tour in as well thanks to Geoff from the Visitor Information Centre.

All attendees received a goodie bag showcasing local produce and made goods, including Freckleberry Chocolate Factory, Meredith Dairy, Aysha Hansen Fine Fragrances, Anther Spirits and LardAss Butter.

ASTW is a member-based society of published travel writers and public relations professionals.

Famils like this are so important to raise awareness of our destination, showcase new openings with media with the goal of travel stories on the region. Nothing beats seeing and experiencing product firsthand and a few stories have already been published from this visit.

A big thanks to all the operators for bringing their A-game, sharing their passion and stories, and to the ASTW team for hosting a luncheon in our region. Can't wait for the next one 😉

Got a tourism experience you'd like to bring to life at Geelong waterfront? The City of Greater Geelong is currently see...
26/05/2026

Got a tourism experience you'd like to bring to life at Geelong waterfront?

The City of Greater Geelong is currently seeking expressions of interest for mobile food, tourism or water-based activities to bring more experiences to the waterfront for visitors and locals to enjoy.

EOIs are open until 5:00pm Sunday 31 May 2026. Submit your idea at https://yoursay.geelongaustralia.com.au/expression-interest-geelong-waterfront-licences

Yesterday Tourism Greater Geelong & The Bellarine welcomed some of our savvy international-ready members to an engaging ...
21/05/2026

Yesterday Tourism Greater Geelong & The Bellarine welcomed some of our savvy international-ready members to an engaging International Product and Packaging Workshop at Higher Mark.

Delivered by tourism trade guru Deb Carr from ATEC, the workshop focused on helping operators grow revenue by refining their experiences into compelling, bookable products and market-ready packages tailored to international visitors.

By the end of the workshop, we had 3 very exciting concepts for packaged experiences plus we learned how we can all collaborate and work together to strengthen our offerings for international visitors.

If you’re interested in learning more about working with international markets, check out the upcoming Why International? Workshop on 11 June with Visit Victoria.

For more info about Why International? and to register click here: https://events.humanitix.com/why-international-visit-victoria-workshop

There's just 1 week left to nominate your business for the 2026 Victorian Tourism Awards! With the National Tourism Awa...
21/05/2026

There's just 1 week left to nominate your business for the 2026 Victorian Tourism Awards!

With the National Tourism Awards being hosted in Geelong next year, there has never been a better time to enter the 40th Victorian Tourism Awards! If you win Gold in your category, you automatically go through to the National Awards.

The tourism awards are not just about winning though. The process is also really valuable to strengthen and acknowledge your successes in your business.

The first step is to nominate. Nominations are due to VTIC by 27 May. See link below.

>>> Get Free Mentoring for Your Victorian Tourism Award Submission!!

To make sure you have the best chances of success, TGGB is offering financial members free one‑on‑one Victorian Tourism Awards mentoring.

This tailored support is designed to guide you through the process and elevate your submission — whether this is your first time entering or you’re aiming higher this year.

To apply for TGGB Awards Mentoring, please contact us at [email protected]

> Click here for more info about the awards and to nominate - https://www.vtic.com.au/victoriantourismawards/enter/

This week we’re celebrating the incredible volunteers from Visitor Information Centres across Geelong and The Bellarine ...
20/05/2026

This week we’re celebrating the incredible volunteers from Visitor Information Centres across Geelong and The Bellarine for National Volunteer Week 🎉

From supporting major events like the Avalon Australian International Airshow, to greeting cruise passengers and hosting international delegations, their impact goes well beyond a warm welcome. Our volunteers play a critical role in dispersing visitors and strengthening the visitor economy.

In 2025, volunteers at the two Geelong Visitor Information Centres contributed more than 8,196 hours and welcomed over 39,700 visitors.

A big thank you to all our incredible volunteers!

If you're interested in volunteering with us, come say hello at the Geelong Volunteer Expo:

Where: Geelong West Town Hall, 153 Pakington St, Geelong West
When: 10am - 3pm, Thursday 21 May 2026

Volunteering Geelong Volunteering Australia

We’re very excited to announce that Monica Arklay has joined the Tourism Greater Geelong & The Bellarine team as our new...
19/05/2026

We’re very excited to announce that Monica Arklay has joined the Tourism Greater Geelong & The Bellarine team as our new Corporate Communications Officer focusing on industry communications and engagement.

Monica brings more than 10 years’ experience across tourism and government, with a strong focus on smart, data-informed communications that improve engagement and enhance customer experience.

Monica has held senior digital and marketing roles at Destination Melbourne and Parks Victoria, where she led customer-focused digital strategies, multi-channel campaigns and content improvements shaped by research and insights.

Monica’s experience and passion for delivering clear, impactful communications will play an important role in strengthening how we connect with and support you.

Please join us in welcoming Monica to the region 👏

Missed the in-person Intellectual Property 101 session this week? Harwood Andrews is kindly running an online session fo...
15/05/2026

Missed the in-person Intellectual Property 101 session this week? Harwood Andrews is kindly running an online session for tourism operators next Thursday 21 May.

This interactive seminar will cover:

🔹Trade marks—protecting and leveraging your brand
🔹Copyright and moral rights—safeguarding your creative works
🔹Patents and designs
🔹Misleading and deceptive conduct in IP disputes
🔹Recent case law developments and their practical implications for your business

And the best bit is there's no cost to join.

When: 12:30pm Thursday 21 May
Where: Online
Learn more and register at https://harwoodandrews.com.au/events-list/intellectual-property-101

Wow what a week! Our TGGB tourism team, alongside a fantastic group of local operators, proudly represented Geelong and ...
15/05/2026

Wow what a week! Our TGGB tourism team, alongside a fantastic group of local operators, proudly represented Geelong and The Bellarine at Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) in Adelaide this week.

ATE is Australia’s largest tourism trade event and it’s epic. More than 2,700 delegates representing 732 global buyers from 32 countries partake in over 55,000 appointments in just four days. It’s fast-paced, high-energy, and packed with opportunity.

As a region, we showed up strong with Go Beyond Melbourne and a selection of our best operators including Liberty Balloon Flights, Go Ride A Wave, Q Train, Curlewis Golf Resort, Searoad Ferries, Great Private Tours, Explore Australia and Werribee Open Range Zoo.

And our big ATE26 takeaway? Momentum is building.

There’s a real and growing interest in our region. Across numerous conversations, we heard it loud and clear. Visitors from around the globe are actively seeking out Geelong and The Bellarine with increasing global searches and bookings to match.

International visitors are a vital part of our visitor mix. They stay longer, spend more, and deliver meaningful economic impact. It’s a long game, but one that’s starting to pay off.

For operators who are keen to learn how to tap into international opportunities, Visit Victoria are coming to Geelong on 11 June for the Why International? workshop. We'd love to see you there!

For more details about the Why International? workshop, check out our weekly newsletter or click here: 9224565a-5b07-433b-bc0e-54ebdec52cd0@ad1fd0fe-3e77-4bd5-b5c9-ba992ccae1f9" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/9224565a-5b07-433b-bc0e-54ebdec52cd0@ad1fd0fe-3e77-4bd5-b5c9-ba992ccae1f9

Address

137-149 Mercer Street
Geelong, VIC
3220

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+61352447100

Website

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