For Immediate Release

Visitors Return to Rural Victoria

Life is returning to Victoria’s bushfire-ravaged areas, with trees sprouting green leaves and visitors returning in droves. It’s great news for towns that were, only last month, facing extensive financial loss.

The former goldmining town of Beechworth is one of those areas back on the visitors’ map. Beechworth township was unharmed as the fire remained several kilometres away. The real devastation, however, occurred later when a complete lack of visitors left the place desolate.

“After the fires our occupancy dropped from 80 percent to 10 percent,” said Robert Ransom, proprietor of the Best Western Beechworth Motor Inn. Now the fires have ended, tourists are returning and finding the town’s beauty still intact.

“Now that Easter is coming, the whole town is chock-a-block,” Mr Ransom says. “Our bookings for April and May are looking good with most weekends in April already booked out.”

The towns of Warragul and Drouin are experiencing the same positive increase. “We are running at about 76 percent occupancy,” says Peter Van Kaathoven, owner of Best Western Warragul Motel and Best Western Drouin Motor Inn.

“People are discovering there is more to Gippsland, including fabulous cheeses, wines and a new $2.5 million bicycle track that is concrete from start to finish and runs just at the back of the motel.”

While Australians generously donated money and clothing to bushfire affected areas, the only way to help Victorian towns in the long term is to support local industries, such as tourism.

“All businesses and attractions are still operating here as normal,” Mr Ransom says, “and we are all extremely happy to see the people returning.”

For more information or to book accommodation at Best Western Victorian property, call 131 779 (from Australia) 0800 237 893 (from New Zealand) or log on to www.bestwestern.com.au

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Media contact:

Shaun Greenwood

Media Communications Manager

Best Western Australasia

Ph: +61 2 8913 3346

Fax: +61 2 9955 9555

Email: sgreenwood@bestwesternaustralia.com.au