By MICHELLE HERBISON
GEELONG and the Great Ocean Road region need 3400 more guest rooms to cope with a projected 10 million annual visitors by 2030, according to a report.
The Great Ocean Road Destination Management Plan recommended four new large resorts between Geelong and Victoria’s border with South Australia.
The region would also need an additional 90 farm stays, five new large backpacker hostels, five new caravan tourist parks, 12 motels and up to 50 guest houses or bed and breakfast accommodation, the report said said.
Geelong Otway and Shipwreck Coast tourism bodies are preparing a merger to become Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism, covering the area studied in the report.
Geelong Otway Tourism’s Roger Grant said local accommodation providers were keeping up with demand ahead of the rush to 2030, with plenty of tourists expected over the Easter weekend amid a shift in booking habits over recent years.
“We’re finding over the last couple of years people are leaving their accommodation bookings later and later, particularly with the internet and the digital world now. They’re basically booking the day before or a couple of days before.
“We’re traditionally busy but there hasn’t been any circumstance over the last couple of years where we haven’t been able to assist people with accommodation.”
Mr Grant said Bellarine Peninsula needed more high-standard accommodation “that focuses on experience”, including at wineries and golf courses.
“There are certainly great opportunities in Queenscliff. That’s why we want to look at a master plan for the fort and opportunities for accommodation associated with that. In wineries, we haven’t got the any of the scope and scale required for accommodation.”
The report said tourism generated 792 jobs within Surf Coast Shire, the most of any sector.
Tourism generated 3,355 jobs within City of Greater Geelong and 226 jobs at Borough of Queenscliffe.
