Victorian Alpine Resorts

Summer 2010/11

Visitation Survey

Report

Published by the Alpine Resorts Co-ordinating Council, June 2011. An electronic copy of this document is also available on www.arcc.vic.gov.au.

 The State of , Alpine Resorts Co-ordinating Council 2011. This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968.

Authorised by Victorian Government, . Printed by Typo Corporate Services, 97-101 Tope Street, South Melbourne 100% Recycled Paper

ISBN 978-1-74287-134-9 (print) ISBN 978-1-74287-135-6 (online)

Acknowledgements: Front cover photo: Alpine Resort Management Board & James Lauritz (Photographer) Report: Prepared by Alex Shilton, Principal Project Officer, Alpine Resorts Co-ordinating Council.

Disclaimer: This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and the Alpine Resorts Co-ordinating Council do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.

VICTORIAN ALPINE RESORTS

SUMMER 2010/11

VISITATION

SURVEY REPORT

JUNE 2011

Alpine Resorts Co-ordinating Council ABN 87 537 598 625 Level 6, 8 Nicholson Street (PO Box 500) East Melbourne Vic 3002 Phone: (03) 9637 9642 Fax: (03) 9637 8024 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.arcc.vic.gov.au ThisPageIsIntentionallyBlank - in white font to force printer to print page!!!

2010/11 – Summer Visitation Survey Report iii

CHAIRPERSON’S FOREWORD

This is Council’s fourth Summer Visitation Survey Report. It is based on accurate vehicle counts and surveys of vehicle occupants conducted at Victorian Alpine Resorts. The results are an important measure to assist in the determination of the success of current actions in delivering on the vision for Alpine Resorts, namely ‘four season sustainable resorts’.

It is pleasing to see that over the past four summer seasons visitation has generally been trending upwards across Resorts. In 2010/11 it is estimated that some 376,000 people visited the Resorts during the summer survey period, an increase of 8 percent compared to 2009/10. Vehicle numbers increased from 168,000 in 2009/10 to 178,000 in 2010/11, an improvement of 5.8 percent. When winter visitation is taken into account it is estimated that approximately 1.2 million people now visit the Resorts annually.

I would like to record the Council’s gratitude to the Victorian Alpine Resort Management Boards. Without their assistance to undertake the vehicle and occupancy counts, this report would not have been possible.

Des Powell Chairperson

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2010/11 – Summer Visitation Survey Report v

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The 2010/11 summer survey, conducted at all Victorian Alpine Resorts from Melbourne Cup Weekend until Anzac Day, found that 178,000 vehicles visited the Resorts. This was up 5.8 percent compared to the results in 2009/10.

This is the fourth such study conducted by Council and the Boards and it shows that over the past four summer seasons visitation has generally been trending upwards at most resorts. The All Resorts results show that after a drop in 2009, corresponding to the 2009 bushfires, visitation appears to have recovered and increased.

There is a strong correlation between vehicle numbers, holiday periods and on- mountain events. The surveys show that for most Resorts, peak vehicle counts appear to coincide with school holidays and/or long weekends. The staging of major on-mountain events coincident with these key holiday times results in an additional increase in recorded vehicle numbers. The survey results also show that the staging of events outside of holiday times can also result in significant increases in visitation compared to non-event non-holiday weekends.

Some historical vehicle counts are available for some Resorts. These records show dramatic increases at Mt Baw Baw.

Physical counts of the number of occupants per vehicle and the purpose of the visit were conducted by Boards on several days during the survey period. From this data it is estimated that 376,000 people visited the Resorts in 2010/11. This is up 8 percent compared to 2009/10 and a continuation of an upward trend evident over the past three years.

Detailed analysis also shows that there is a distinct difference in visitation characteristics between Weekend/Holiday periods and Weekdays, with vehicle occupancy of 1.8 to 3.8 for Weekend/Holiday periods and 1.5 to 2.9 for Weekdays.

Once again the Mt Hotham surveys recorded significant numbers of road cyclists utilising the , indicating the increasing popularity of high country cycling.

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2010/11 – Summer Visitation Survey Report vii

Table of Contents

Chairperson’s Foreword...... iii

Executive Summary ...... v

1. Background...... 1

2. Methodology ...... 2

3. Vehicle Survey Results – Season Numbers ...... 4

4. Vehicle Survey Results – Weekly Numbers...... 6

5. Historical Vehicle Counts ...... 11

6. Visitor Survey Results...... 13

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1. BACKGROUND 1.1 The Alpine Resorts Co-ordinating Council (the ‘Council’) is a statutory body established under the Alpine Resorts (Management) Act 1997. It reports to the Hon Ryan Smith MP, Minister for Environment and Climate Change. Council performs a co-ordinating function across Alpine Resorts, focused on: strategic planning, research, attraction of investment and overall promotion of resorts. It also provides advice to the Minister on a wide range of Alpine Resort issues. 1.2 Information on visitation to Alpine Resorts, both during the winter season and outside the winter season, is important for a wide range of planning purposes. Ski lift companies, accommodation providers, retailers, suppliers, Alpine Resort Management Boards (‘Boards’), as well as various service providers and government agencies, all make use of this information. 1.3 Visitation during the winter season has been recorded in a systematic way for many years and is now published by the Council on a regular basis. 1.4 Historically, recording of summer visitation to Alpine Resorts has proven to be more challenging. Since 2007/08, Council and Boards have conducted a survey of summer vehicle numbers, with the introduction of spot occupancy counts to better estimate the number of visitors introduced during the 2008/09 summer season survey. 1.5 The current framework for Alpine Resorts, the Alpine Resorts 2020 Strategy, is based on a vision of ‘four season, vibrant, sustainable resorts’. Consistent measurement of summer visitation is critical to the assessment of the success of actions taken to increase four season use of Alpine Resorts. 1.6 The 2010/11 summer survey builds on the consistent methodology and timing used for previous summer surveys.

2010/11 – Summer Visitation Survey Report - 2 -

2. METHODOLOGY Vehicle Counts 2.1 Since the 2007/08 summer season, automatic counters have been permanently installed on the access roads to each Victorian Alpine Resort. Loops buried in the roads detect passing axles, from which an estimate of vehicles is determined. In some cases the counters have been in place for a period of years and this has enabled some historical information to be presented in this report. 2.2 This summer survey has been undertaken from early November until late April, i.e. to cover the period from Melbourne Cup Day until Anzac Day. The survey procedures provided for vehicle count information to be collected by Boards on at least a weekly basis. 2.3 The methodologies employed to analyse the results at each Alpine Resort are set out below. 2.4 Falls Creek The Board has recorded vehicle count information for all inbound lanes and the outbound lane at Howman’s Gap entry station since 1994. For the purposes of this report, the vehicle counts of all inbound lanes have been used. The counter was operational for the whole of the survey period. 2.5 The Board has a counter at the entry gate that has recorded the number of vehicles entering the resort since 1997. These records have been used for this report. The counter was destroyed during the February 2009. It was subsequently re-instated prior to the 2009/10 survey period. 2.6 Mount Baw Baw The Board has a counter at the entry to the village. Incomplete historical records are available for some years back to 2000. The counter was operational for the whole of the survey period. In contrast to other Resorts, Mt Baw Baw deducts the staff/contractor vehicles from its survey results, prior to submission to Council. 2.7 The Board has recorded vehicle count information for all inbound and outbound lanes at the Mirimbah entry station since 2001. For the purposes of this report, the vehicle count used is the average of the inbound and outbound counts as it is considered to better estimate weekly visitation. The counter was operational for the whole of the survey period. 2.8 The Board installed permanent counters on the Great Alpine Road on either side of the village in late 2007. During the survey period 55 percent of recorded vehicle entries were from the Harrietville direction, with 45 percent from the Omeo direction. The Great Alpine Road is a well used through road with visitors entering the Resort from both directions, thus the vehicle counts from the inbound lanes of both counters have been summed for this report. As the village straddles the Great Alpine Road and has multiple entry points it is difficult to determine whether visiting vehicles are stopping in, or travelling through, the Resort. For the purposes of this report it is assumed that all vehicles counted visited (i.e. stopped at) the Resort. The counters were operational for the whole of the survey period.

2010/11 – Summer Visitation Survey Report - 3 -

2.9 The Board recorded vehicle count information for the inbound and outbound lanes of the Mount Stirling Road at the Mirimbah entry station. During the survey period 49 percent of recorded vehicle movements were on the inbound land of the Mount Stirling Road at the Mirimbah entry station, with 51 percent on the outbound lane. Some of the vehicles recorded will have passed through the Resort on one-way trips, both to or from destinations beyond the Mount Stirling Alpine Resort, and other vehicles recorded will have entered and exited the Resort through the entry station. For the purposes of this survey the vehicle numbers reported comprise 75 percent of total recorded vehicles. This is based on a 50:50 split between vehicles passing through the Resort on one-way trips and vehicles entering and exiting through the entry station. The counter was operational for the whole of the survey period. Visitor Counts 2.10 To provide an estimate of the number of visitors to Resorts, Boards were asked to conduct a physical count of the number of visitors per vehicle on four selected days during the survey period. The days were chosen to cover a range of school holiday, non school holiday and public holiday periods. The intention was to record the number of visitors, purpose of visit and origin of visitors for each vehicle that entered the Resort on the selected days. 2.11 At Mt Hotham the Board collected information on the number of visitors, purpose of visit and origin of visitors for vehicles that left the Great Alpine Road and entered the central village car parking area. In the case of vehicles travelling on the Great Alpine Road that did not stop in the central village car parking area, the Mt Hotham Board estimated the number of occupants per vehicle.

2010/11 – Summer Visitation Survey Report - 4 -

3. VEHICLE SURVEY RESULTS – SEASON NUMBERS 3.1 Summary results for weekly vehicle counts during the period November 2010 – April 2011, for each Alpine Resort and the combined figure for all Resorts, are shown in Table 1. Deleted: Table 1 Deleted: Table 1

Table 1 - 2010/11 Vehicle Count Totals

Lake Mt Baw November 2010 - April 2011 Falls Creek Mountain Baw Mt Buller Mt Hotham Mt Stirling All Resorts Total Summer Vehicles 34,142 16,874 13,213 35,286 66,233 11,882 177,630 Average Weekly Vehicles 1,313 649 508 1,357 2,547 457 - Minimum Weekly Vehicles 788 338 248 660 1,503 238 - Maximum Weekly Vehicles 2,915 1,088 962 3,160 6,224 926 -

3.2 During the survey period, a total of 178,000 vehicles were recorded visiting the Resorts. 3.3 The figures at Mt Hotham reflect the high volume of through traffic using the Great Alpine Road. To a lesser extent Falls Creek and Mt Stirling also service through traffic. 3.4 The survey shows that there is a marked variation in the vehicle counts on a weekly basis during the summer season at all Alpine Resorts. Maximum weekly counts are double or three times more than the weekly average vehicle counts at most Resorts, with minimum counts mainly less than half of the average weekly counts. Further analysis is contained in the following section. 3.5 Table 2 compares the 2009/10 summer vehicle counts with the previous summer’s results.

Table 2 - Vehicle Count Change - Since 2009/10

Lake Mt Baw Falls Creek Mountain Baw Mt Buller Mt Hotham Mt Stirling All Resorts 2010/11 (Nov - Apr) 34,142 16,874 13,213 35,286 66,233 11,882 177,630 2009/10 (Nov - Apr) 36,328 11,642 13,595 30,995 62,661 12,741 167,962 Percentage Change 2009/10 - 2010/11 -6.0% 44.9% -2.8% 13.8% 5.7% -6.7% 5.8%

3.6 The table shows an increase in total vehicles of 5.8 percent in 2010/11 compared to 2009/10. In the case of Lake Mountain, it is likely that the very large percentage increase in 2010/11 compared to 2009/10 is a result of construction traffic associated with the extensive building program subsequent to the February 2009 bushfires. 3.7 Vehicle Counts from 2007/08 for each Alpine Resort and for All Resorts are shown in Figures 1 and 2, below.

2010/11 – Summer Visitation Survey Report - 5 -

Figure 1

Summer Vehicles (Nov - Apr)

70,000

60,000

50,000

40,000

30,000

20,000

10,000

- Falls Creek Lake Mount ain Mt Baw Baw Mt Buller Mt Hot ham Mt St irling

2007/ 08 (Nov - Apr) 2008/ 09 (Nov - Apr) 2009/ 10 (Nov - Apr) 2010/11 (Nov - Apr)

Figure 2

Summer Vehicles (Nov - Apr)

200,000

180,000

160,000

140,000

120,000

100,000

80,000

60,000

40,000

20,000

- All Resorts

2007/ 08 (Nov - Apr) 2008/ 09 (Nov - Apr) 2009/ 10 (Nov - Apr) 2010/11 (Nov - Apr)

3.8 Figure 1 shows that there is some variability at individual Resorts. However, Figure 2 shows that over the past four summer seasons visitation has generally been trending upwards across Resorts. Figure 2 also shows that after a drop in 2009, corresponding with the 2009 bushfires, visitation appears to have recovered and increased.

2010/11 – Summer Visitation Survey Report - 6 -

4. VEHICLE SURVEY RESULTS – WEEKLY NUMBERS 4.1 Figures 3 to 8, below, show weekly vehicle numbers to the six Victorian Alpine Resorts during the survey period. For comparison, weekly results from the 2009/10 survey period are also shown. Figure 9 shows aggregated vehicle counts for the six Alpine Resorts. Victorian school and public holidays for 2010/11 are also shown shaded on the figures. Key events conducted at Alpine Resorts in 2010/11 are listed below each figure. 4.2 As was evident in past surveys, there is a strong correlation between vehicle numbers, holiday periods and on-mountain events. For most Resorts, peak vehicle counts appear to coincide with school holidays and/or long weekends; traditional holiday times in which Victorians travel. There are significant increases in the number of vehicles during Christmas / New Year, Day, Labour Day and Easter periods. The staging of major on-mountain events coincident with those key holiday times results in an additional increase in recorded vehicle numbers. The survey results also show that the staging of events outside of holiday times can also result in significant increases in visitation compared to non-event non-holiday weekends.

Figure 3

Falls Creek Summer Vehicles 2010/11

4,000

3,500

3,000

2,500

2,000

1, 50 0

1, 0 0 0

500

0 10-Jan-11 24-Jan-11 07-Feb-11 21-Feb-11 07-Mar-11 21-Mar-11 04-Apr-11 18-Apr-11 01-Nov-10 15-Nov-10 29-Nov-10 13-Dec-10 27-Dec-10 02-May-11 Week Ending

2 0 10 / 11 V i c t o r i an Ho l i d ay s 2 0 10 / 11 V eh i c l es 2009/10 Vehicles

Events: Mile High Cricket – Boxing Day; Big Fella Festival – New Year; Billy Cart Derby & Bush Bash – 8-9 January; Dragon Boat Races, Audax Cycling Classic - Australia Day; Mile High Tennis – 19 February; 3 Peaks Challenge – Labour Day; MTB Epic – 20 - 26 March; Artists’ Camp – 26-27 March; Family Carnival, Dawn Service – Easter, Anzac Day.

2010/11 – Summer Visitation Survey Report - 7 -

Figure 4

Lake Mountain Summer Vehicles 2010/11

1,400

1,200

1,000

800

600

400

200

0 10-Jan-11 24-Jan-11 07-Feb-11 21-Feb-11 07-Mar-11 21-Mar-11 04-Apr-11 18-Apr-11 01-Nov-10 15-Nov-10 29-Nov-10 13-Dec-10 27-Dec-10 02-May-11 Week Ending

2010/11 Victorian Holidays 2010/ 11 Vehicles 2009/10 Vehicles

Events: Granite Grind MTB, Marysville Lake Mountain Cycle Challenge – 26 February; Lake Mountain Music Festival – 13 March; Easter Walk.

Figure 5

Mount Baw Baw Summer Vehicles 2010/11

2,000

1, 8 0 0

1, 6 0 0

1, 4 0 0

1, 2 0 0

1, 0 0 0

800

600

400

200

0 10-Jan-11 24-Jan-11 07-Feb-11 21-Feb-11 07-Mar-11 21-Mar-11 04-Apr-11 18-Apr-11 01-Nov-10 15-Nov-10 29-Nov-10 13-Dec-10 27-Dec-10 02-May-11 Week Ending

2010/11 Victorian Holidays 2010/ 11 Vehicles 2009/10 Vehicles

Events: National Mountain Bike Downhill Event- 7-8 Jan; Audax Bike Ride – 26 February; State Downhill MTB Event – 5-6 March; Baw Baw Road Cycling Classic – 10 April.

2010/11 – Summer Visitation Survey Report - 8 -

Figure 6

Mount Buller Summer Vehicles 2010/11

4,000

3,500

3,000

2,500

2,000

1, 50 0

1, 0 0 0

500

0 10-Jan-11 24-Jan-11 07-Feb-11 21-Feb-11 07-Mar-11 21-Mar-11 04-Apr-11 18-Apr-11 01-Nov-10 15-Nov-10 29-Nov-10 13-Dec-10 27-Dec-10 02-May-11 Week Ending

2 0 10 / 11 V i c t o r i an Ho l i d ay s 2010/ 11 Vehicles 2009/10 Vehicles

Events: Targa High Country – 5-7 November; Tarmac Challenge 27 November; HOG Rally - 10 December; Women’s MTB Clinic; Chamber Music Summer School – 16 January; Kids’ Weekend – 22 January; Downhill MTB State Series – 29 January; Australian MTB Series – 5 February; Women’s MTB Clinic, Guy Grossi Master class, Produce Market, Summer Schools, Artist in Residence – 12-16 February; Bike Buller MTB Festival, Women’s MTB clinic – 5 March; Mirimbah Picnic- Labour Day; High Country Cycle Challenge – 19; March; Road Race - 20 March; Easter celebrations, mountain high fun run, Dawn Service – Easter/Anzac Day.

Figure 7

Mount Hotham Summer Vehicles 2010/11

8000

7000

6000

5000

4000

3000

2000

1000 Vehicles -Note 2-way count 0 10-Jan-11 24-Jan-11 07-Feb-11 21-Feb-11 07-Mar-11 21-Mar-11 04-Apr-11 18-Apr-11 01-Nov-10 15-Nov-10 29-Nov-10 13-Dec-10 27-Dec-10 02-May-11 Week Ending

2010/11 Victorian Holidays 2010/11 Vehicles 2009/10 Vehicles

Events: Alpine Raid-Audax Cycling – 22-23 January; MH/DP Cool Summer Festival – 18-20 February; DP Festival of Cycling – Labour Day; Terra Australis MTB Epic – 20-26 March; Beyond Hotham 4WD Expo – 7-17 April; MH/DP Cobungra Polo – Easter Festival;.

2010/11 – Summer Visitation Survey Report - 9 -

Figure 8

Mount Stirling Summer Vehicles 2010/11

1400

1200

1000

800

600

400

200

0 10-Jan-11 24-Jan-11 07-Feb-11 21-Feb-11 07-Mar-11 21-Mar-11 04-Apr-11 18-Apr-11 01-Nov-10 15-Nov-10 29-Nov-10 13-Dec-10 27-Dec-10 02-May-11 Week Ending

2010/11 Victorian Holidays 2010/11 Vehicles 2009/10 Vehicles

Events: None held during the survey period.

Figure 9

All Resorts Summer Vehicles 2010/11

14,000

12,000

10,000

8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

0 10-Jan-11 24-Jan-11 07-Feb-11 21-Feb-11 07-Mar-11 21-Mar-11 04-Apr-11 18-Apr-11 01-Nov-10 15-Nov-10 29-Nov-10 13-Dec-10 27-Dec-10 02-May-11 Week Ending

2010/11 Victorian Holidays 2010/11 Vehicles 2009/10 Vehicles

2010/11 – Summer Visitation Survey Report - 10 -

4.3 Where peaks in the current year (shown in ‘red’) do not coincide with the peaks in the previous year (shown in ‘blue’) it is usually as a result of seasonal variations in holidays (e.g. Easter holidays were in late April in the current year and early April in the previous year), in event timing and/or as a result of the deletion or addition of events. 4.4 In the case of Mt Hotham, the close proximity of Dinner Plain means that many of the events on the summer calendar are staged jointly with Dinner Plain, to the benefit of both places. 4.5 Figure 10, below, showing summer visitation to Falls Creek for the last three years, as well as the 10-year average, illustrates the importance of events in attracting summer visitation. At Falls Creek there has been an increased emphasis on events in recent years.

Figure 10

Dragon Boats 3500 & Audax 2009 Dragon Boats Big Fella & Audax 2010 Big Fella Festival 3 Peaks Festival 2011 Challenge 3000 2010 2010 Dragon Billy Cart Boats & Derby & 3 Peaks Easter Easter 2011 Audax Bush Bash Challenge 2009 /ANZAC Day V 2011 Easter 2011 2011 e 2500 2010 h i NE Vic TXU c Storms Triathlon l 2000 & Floods 2011 e Summer 2008/09 Alpine 2011 Summer 2009/10 Assault N Summer 2010/11 2011 u 1500 10 Year Average m b e r s 1000

500

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17Week 18 Number 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35

2010/11 – Summer Visitation Survey Report - 11 -

5. HISTORICAL VEHICLE COUNTS 5.1 Historical information on visitation to Alpine Resorts outside of the winter season can be difficult to obtain. Such data as exists principally relates to vehicle counts and was often collected by VicRoads and local government for road planning purposes rather than visitation. The timing and duration of counts varies. Parks Victoria and tourism bodies also have some records on summer visitation. Because of the disparate nature of summer visitation data, past studies of the economic significance of Alpine Resorts have used those data records with caution in determining visitation and the economic significance of that visitation. 5.2 The results of historical vehicle counts at Falls Creek, Lake Mountain, Mount Baw Baw and Mount Buller Alpine Resorts, taken outside the winter season, are shown in Figures 11 to 14 below. It should be noted that in the case of Falls Creek, Lake Mountain and Mount Buller Alpine Resorts these figures relate to the whole of the year outside the winter season, i.e. October to June. In the case of Mount Baw Baw the figures relate to the period November to late May/early June. In all cases the non-winter figures differ from the results of this survey, which presents results for the ‘summer’ survey period, i.e. November to April. 5.3 Records are not available for all years. Records are incomplete in some cases and thus have not been plotted in the figures below. In addition, results for the major bushfire years of 2003, 2006/07 and 2008/09 are lower than may otherwise have been the case, as a result of the closure of many roads and much of the high country during those bushfires. 5.4 Notwithstanding the above, historic visitation records suggest that modest increases in visitation are occurring over time, with dramatic increases recorded at Mt Baw Baw in recent years.

Figure 11

Falls Creek Non-winter Vehicle Numbers

60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000

Vehicles 20,000 10,000 -

6 7 0 3 4 0 1 /98 0 /0 /05 /06 /1 7 3 4 5 0 98/99 00/01 06/07 07/08 996/9 99 9 0 002/0 00 00 00 0 0 01 1994/951995/91 1 1 99/20 2 2001/022 2 2 2 2 2 2008/092009/12 9 1 Notes: Data not available for every year Source: Board data

2010/11 – Summer Visitation Survey Report - 12 -

Figure 12

Lake Mountain Non-winter Vehicle Numbers

25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000

Vehicles 5,000 -

0 3 8 1 /99 /02 /0 /07 0 /10 /1 3/04 7/ 9/200 0 998 9 001 002 005/06006 00 009 010 1 9 2000/012 2 20 2004/052 2 2 2008/092 2 1 Note: Data not available for every year Source: Board data

Figure 13

Mount Baw Baw Non-winter Vehicle Numbers

18,000 16,000 14,000 12,000 10,000 8,000

Vehicles 6,000 4,000 2,000 -

7 8 9 0 1 /01 /02 /04 0 1 3 07/0 08/0 09/1 10/1 004/05 005/06 006/0 200 200 2002/03 200 2 2 2 20 20 20 20 Note: Data not available for every year Source: Board data

Figure 14

Mount Buller Non-winter Vehicle Numbers

70,000 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000

Vehicles 20,000 10,000 -

2 5 7 8 9 0 1 /0 /04 /0 /0 /0 /0 /1 /1 1 3 4 6 7 8 9 0 0 0 0 0 1 00 00 00 20 2002/03 2 20 2005/06 2 20 20 2 20 Note: Data not available for every year Source: Board data

2010/11 – Summer Visitation Survey Report - 13 -

6. VISITOR SURVEY RESULTS Visitor Numbers 6.1 The first summer vehicle counting survey conducted in 2007/08 did not collect data on vehicle occupancy and thus had to rely on multipliers used in a range of past reports to estimate visitation. To provide a better estimate of the number of visitors to Resorts, commencing for the 2008/09 survey Boards conducted physical counts of the number of occupants per vehicle (‘occupancy’) on several days during the survey period. 6.2 Results for individual Victorian Alpine Resorts for the 2010/11 survey period are shown in Table 3, below.

Table 3 - Visitor Numbers for 2010/11 Survey Period – Individual Alpine Resorts

Weekends/ Falls Creek Week days All Days Holidays No. of Vehicles 18,843 15,299 34,142 Occupancy 1 1.9 2.1 2.0 Total Visitors 2 36,285 31,959 68,244 Proportion of Staff/Contractor Vehicles 3% 32% 16%

Weekends/ Lake Mountain Week days All Days Holidays No. of Vehicles 9,313 7,561 16,874 Occupancy 1, 3 2.7 1.6 2.2 Total Visitors 2 25,145 12,098 37,243 Proportion of Staff/Contractor Vehicles --- 4 --- 4 --- 4

Weekends/ Mt Baw Baw Week days All Days Holidays No. of Vehicles 7,292 5,921 13,213 Occupancy 1 3.8 2.9 3.4 Total Visitors 2 27,775 17,228 45,003 Proportion of Staff/Contractor Vehicles --- 4 --- 4 --- 4

Weekends/ Mt Buller Week days All Days Holidays No. of Vehicles 19,475 15,811 35,286 Occupancy 1 2.8 1.8 2.4 Total Visitors 2 54,623 28,375 82,998 Proportion of Staff/Contractor Vehicles 7% 21% 13%

Weekends/ Mt Hotham Week days All Days Holidays No. of Vehicles 36,555 29,678 66,233 Occupancy 1 1.8 1.5 1.7 Total Visitors 2 67,430 45,026 112,456 Proportion of Staff/Contractor Vehicles 0% 17% 8%

Weekends/ Mt Stirling Week days All Days Holidays No. of Vehicles 6,558 5,324 11,882 Occupancy 1 2.8 2.2 2.5 Total Visitors 2 18,082 11,536 29,617 Proportion of Staff/Contractor Vehicles 5% 0% 3%

Notes: 1. The 'occupancy' figure obtained from the selected days physical counts has been applied to the full survey period vehicle count to calculate the number of 'total visitors'. 2. Total visitors for the summer survey period (November to April), i.e. not the entire period outside of Council's winter season visitation survey. 3. Lake Mountain did not conduct 'occupancy' counts in 2010/11 or 2009/10. Consequently the multipliers obtained during the 2008/09 counts have been applied to estimate visitors. 4. Not collected.

2010/11 – Summer Visitation Survey Report - 14 -

6.3 Detailed analysis of Table 3, above, shows that there is a distinct difference in visitation characteristics between weekend/holiday and weekday periods, with vehicle occupancy at individual Resorts varying from 1.8 to 3.8 for weekend/holiday periods and from 1.5 to 2.9 for weekdays at Mt Hotham. 6.4 For the purpose of extrapolating visitor numbers for the 2010/11 summer survey period the average occupancies calculated from the 2010/11 survey results for weekend/holiday periods and weekdays were applied on a Resort-by-Resort basis. In the case of Lake Mountain, where no occupancy counts were undertaken, previous average occupancies had to be applied. 6.5 Estimated aggregated results for all Victorian Alpine Resorts for 2010/11 are shown in Table 4, below.

Table 4 - Visitor Numbers for 2010/11 Survey Period – All Resorts

Weekends/ All Resorts Week days All Days Holidays No. of Vehicles 98,036 79,594 177,630 Occupancy 1 2.3 1.8 2.1 Total Visitors 2 229,340 146,221 375,561 Weekends/Holidays to Week days proportions 61% 39% 100% Notes: 1. The 'occupancy' figure obtained from the selected days physical counts has been applied to the full survey period vehicle count to calculate the number of 'total visitors'. 2. Total visitors for the summer survey period (November to April), i.e. not the entire period outside of Council's winter season visitation survey.

6.6 It is estimated that total visitation to the Victorian Alpine Resorts over the survey period (November 2010 – April 2011) was approximately 376,000 visitors, with approximately 61 percent of total visitation occurring either on weekends or during holiday periods. 6.7 Annual summer visitation since 2007/08, split between weekends/holidays and week days since 2008/09, is shown in Table 5, below.

Table 5 - Visitor Numbers Since 2007/08 – All Resorts

Weekends/ All Resorts Week days All Days Holidays No. of Visitors 2010/10 229,340 146,221 375,561 No. of Visitors 2009/9 206,840 139,388 346,229 No. of Visitors 2008/08 196,735 135,848 332,582 No. of Visitors 2007/08 1 --- 2 --- 2 338,000 Note: 1. Estimate based on occupancy determined from the selected days physical counts in 2008/09. 2. Not collected.

2010/11 – Summer Visitation Survey Report - 15 -

6.8 Figure 15, below, shows that there has been an increase in annual visitation over the current and previous three years. Based on the figures above, there has been an 8 percent increase in 2010/11 compared to 2009/10. Figure 15

Summer Visitors (Nov - Apr)

400,000

350,000

300,000

250,000

200,000

150,000

100,000

50,000

0 All Resorts

2007/08 (Nov - Apr) 2008/09 (Nov - Apr) 2009/10 (Nov - Apr) 2010/11 (Nov - Apr)

Visitor Characteristics 6.9 From the surveys conducted at most Resorts it was also possible to determine the reasons for some visits. Table 3 shows that for Falls Creek, Mt Buller, Mt Hotham and Mt Stirling the proportions of staff/contractor vehicles entering the Resorts varies significantly between weekends/holidays (up to 7 percent) and weekdays (up to 32 percent). This difference could be expected as staff/contractors are most likely to visit for work-related purposes on weekdays, whereas, people visiting for recreation and other purposes are considered more likely to visit during weekend/holiday periods. 6.10 The survey data also shows that large numbers (approximately 60 percent) of vehicles pass through the Mt . This is likely to be a result of the important role the Great Alpine Road plays as a link between north-eastern Victoria and . Now that the sealing of the Road is complete, the newly-sealed ‘Bogong Alpine Way’ is set to become a major tourist route in North East Victoria and thus it is likely that Falls Creek will see additional summer visitation using that newly-sealed through route1. 6.11 Similarly, Mt Baw Baw Alpine Resort has worked with local tourism bodies to promote the South Face Road as a loop touring route from

1 Historically vehicle counts have focussed on journeys from and to Mt Beauty. It is understood that the Falls Creek Board intends to review its vehicle counting facilities to ensure that in future years it can record traffic flow from both Mt Beauty and Omeo.

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Latrobe Valley. While its gravel surface may discourage some visitors, it is likely that many visitors to Mt Baw Baw during the 2010/11 summer will have availed themselves of this route. 6.12 At Mt Hotham the Board also recorded the number of road cyclists passing through the Resort. On the two occasions when counts were conducted during Weekends/Holidays, 20 November 2010 and 22 January 2011, 47 and 135 cyclists, respectively, were recorded, indicating the increasing popularity of high country cycling.

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