Victoria has received $150,000 from the Australian Government and has matched this contribution through Tourism Victoria, the Melbourne Convention and Visitors Bureau and the local tourism industry.

The funding is part of the Australian Government’s $2 million support package for the business events sector in Australia.

The funding package will include print and online advertising, an extensive public relations campaign and support for businesses to attend trade shows.

Australian Minister for Tourism Martin Ferguson said that the support that they are providing is needed to help drive visitation and encourage organisations to consider holding their next event in a regional area.

Tourism Victoria has also offered funding directly to a number of regions to promote their own venues and experiences.

The Regional Victoria Planner’s Guide 2010-2011, a comprehensive tool to help organisations plan their next event in regional Victoria, has also been launched by Business Events Australia.

The business events industry is worth $1.2 billion annually for the Victorian economy and creates approximately 22,000 jobs.