06 Sep 2017 Mansfield Courier, Mansfield VIC (General News) MINISTER for Regional Development Jaala Pulford joined Goulburn Regional Partnership chair David McKenzie at Lake Eildon last week to announce a $25,000 grant from the Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund to grow local tourism and stimulate the regions economy. Were investing in growing the Goulburn regions visitor economy because more tourism means more jobs and more people choosing to live and work locally, said Ms Pulford. The grant will help Goulburn River Valley Tourism deliver a range of projects to raise the profile of the region, and is a direct response to the Goulburn Regional Partnership, which identified economic diversification as a priority. Boosting tourism will attract visitors, boost investment and encourage more people to move to the region. Tourists bring serious business to the Goulburn region and we want more visitors to come and explore all it has to offer, said Minister for Tourism John Eren. Goulburn River Valley Tourism will use the funding to update its blueprint for building the regional visitor economy, identifying current and future opportunities, visitation trends and priority projects. The Goulburn Regional Partnership identified the importance of investing in tourism and the government is listening and investing in what matters most to this beautiful region, Jaclyn Symes (MLC, Northern Victoria) said. The updated plan will respond to the current socioeconomic climate, outline product and skills gaps across the region, and provide insights into workforce training needs in the region. Goulburn River Valley Tourism hopes to increase visitation by three per cent through increased tourism development, which would inject an extra $18.5 million into the economy and create 117 jobs. The project will develop marketing and promotion strategies for key towns in the area undergoing significant change, including Nagambie and Seymour as a service centre for peri-urban growth in Mitchell Shire, and Lake Eildon as a growth hub for recreational visitation. We have many great areas in Goulburn and Im pleased that this grant will help raise the profile of beautiful spots such as Lake Eildon, Goulburn Regional Partnership chair David McKenzie said. Caption Text: THANK YOUR MOTHER FOR THE RABBITS: Rex Hunt (far left) and Minister for Agriculture Jaala Pulford, together with the local kids from Eildon Primary School, launched the VicFish Kids program in Eildon last week to promote the Goulburn Trout Festival and announce a $25,000 grant to grow local tourism. Licensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence.