To work in partnership with industry, government and the community to facilitate appropriate and sustainable tourism on and for public land.

This tourism role is achieved by:

• protecting the recreation and tourism values of public land for the long term through sound policy, planning, management and governance
• providing and maintaining appropriate visitor facilities and services on and for public land. (Parks Victoria maintains an asset base of over $1 billion)
• effectively communicating and promoting the role public land areas play in tourism.

1. Planning, Strategy and Policy

This role includes policy, planning and implementation, monitoring and research, and development and support of tourism initiatives and products. Parks Victoria provides strategic advice and input into many plans developed with, or by other agencies including Regional Tourism Development Plans, Victorian Trails Strategy, Tourism Plan for Melbourne's Waterfront, Victoria's Tourism Industry Strategic Plan, Victoria's Adventure Tourism Action Plan and Nature-Based Tourism Strategy. Parks Victoria also provides information and direction to local government and regional tourism plans across the state.

2. Conduit Role

Parks Victoria plays an important role as a conduit between government and the tourism industry particularly in nature-based, eco-tourism and cultural tourism areas. Parks Victoria works with a range of organisations to develop shared visions and achieve sustainable and appropriate tourism outcomes.

Key partner organisations include: Federal Department of Tourism, Tourism Victoria, Tourism Australia, Tourism Alliance, Victorian Tourism Industry Council, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Sustainable Tourism CRC (funding partner), local governments, regional and local tourism organisations, regional campaign committees and representative groups. Parks Victoria is represented across the state on tourism boards, associations and committees ensuring appropriate positioning and messaging of the parks estate and the visitor experience.

3. Park Management Role

There are over 60 million visits to the parks estate a year. Parks provide the 'activity base' and ‘the setting' for many nature based and tourism activities and businesses in Victoria .

National Parks in Victoria are major drawcards for tourists to visit regional areas. Some of these include:

• Mornington Peninsula National Park (2,416,192 visits)
• Port Campbell National Park (2,205,048 visits)
• Grampians National Park (1,167,813 visits)
• Dandenong Ranges National Park (1,042,953 visits)
• Wilsons Promontory National Park (266,188 visits)
• Mount Buffalo National Park (183,942 visits)

  * Figures based on Visitor Number Monitoring 2001/2002

Parks Victoria manages state, reservoir, and metropolitan parks, marine parks and rivers, heritage sites and locations that play a significant role in attracting visitors to Victorian destinations. These include Albert Park, Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park (the first National Heritage Park in Australia), Tower Hill Reserve, Barmah State Park, Walhalla Historic Area, Yarra River, Western Port and Port Phillip Bay and Arthurs Seat State Park.

Parks Victoria operates major tourist attractions and products including William Ricketts Sanctuary, Werribee Mansion, Great Gardens of the Dandenongs, Coolart Wetlands and Homestead, Buchan Caves, Great Ocean Walk, The Yarra River Shuttle Service and Tidal River village.

Parks Victoria plays a major role in the delivery of major state tourism projects and works with partners and lessees in the management of a number of tourism venues. These include: Queenscliff Harbour, Mount Buffalo Chalet, Twleve Apostles Visitor Centre, Mount Dandenong Observatory, Brambuk the National Park and Cultural Centre, St Kilda Kiosk and Cape Otway Lightstation.

4. Licensed Tour Operators

In Victoria a tour operator licence system is administered by Parks Victoria. The system is based on legislation requiring consent for an operator gaining commercial benefit from a public resource. There are over 260 Licensed Tour Operators providing approximately 3000 park based products. These include bushwalking, 4x4 wheel drive tours, horse riding, rafting, biking, touring, ballooning, camping, dolphin swimming, heritage tours, nightwalks, diving and rock climbing. Tour Operators play a key role in facilitating access, promoting values and appropriate behaviours and are key contributors to regional economies.

Parks Victoria also manages some operations on the Yarra River including 35 commercial operators, numerous commercial and private berths and landings.

5. Visitor Services

Parks Victoria provides a range of services and activities to visitors including:

• Interpretation and education programs and activities at key tourism sites including Wilsons Promontory, Grampians, Mount Buffalo, Dandenong Ranges National Park and coastal areas during peak holiday periods
• Provision of visitor facilities and information at key tourism sites
• Interpretive and self-guiding trails, Ranger interaction, tourism signage and visitor management services
• Event management including major events such as Moomba, Grand Prix, Oxfam Trailwalk, Dragon Boat Festival and Million Paws Walk
• Parks Victoria plays a major role in the planning and implementation of Melbourne's Commonwealth Games 2006

6. Marketing and Promotions

Parks Victoria undertakes extensive marketing and promotional activities, working with the industry and using various tools to attract visitors to regional Victoria . These activities include:

• Advertising, pictorial and editorial support of regional tourism publications and collateral including brochures, map guides, information boards and website content
• Provision of park notes and publications to accredited and targeted Visitor Information Centres including Guide to Victoria's parks, reserves and waterway, a free colour 34 page brochure
• Operation of the Parks Victoria Information Centre 13 1963 (approx. 120,000 calls p/a) and website www.parkweb.vic.gov.au (approx. 925,000 'visits' p/a) providing information, maps, park notes and brochures to prospective visitors. The Centre operates seven days a week and extended hours during peak periods
• Provision of motivational images to tourism bodies and Tourism Victoria
• Public relations including journalist inquiries and famils, media activities, instigating and hosting travel show filming including Coxy's Big Break, Getaway and Postcards
• Specific marketing campaigns of fee-for-entry attractions
• Research on visitor activities, trends and impacts
• Participation in regional marketing programs including branding and tactical campaigns, packaging and promotions
• Participation at Australian Tourism Exchange promoting park attractions to international travel trade and supporting industry
• Sponsorship and participation in events including Victoria's Tourism Awards, Melbourne Show, Boat Show, Caravan and Camping Show, Festival of the Sail and various regional festivals and tourism conferences