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  4. TAC and VTIC strengthen tourism road safety partnership

TAC and VTIC strengthen tourism road safety partnership

Published date: 01 Jun 2023

Visitor information centres across Victoria will support important safe driving messaging, acting as road safety hubs, thanks to an extended partnership between the Transport Accident Commission and the Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC).

After a successful pilot program, the TAC and VTIC will work together for at least the next two years to tackle fatigue-related road trauma, with the TAC’s popular Pause Stop program becoming a critical resource in 15 Visitor Information Centres (VICs) throughout Victoria.

The Pause Stops will provide visitors with a range of resources to help them avoid drowsy driving and plan a safe onward journey, while they stretch their legs, take a break from the road and browse what each local region has to offer.

The new partnership will also see the TAC become the naming rights partner of the Victorian Top Tourism Town Awards, which showcase the value of tourism to the towns and communities across Victoria.

As part of their visitor itinerary, towns entering the awards were tasked with encouraging tourists to take regular breaks from the roads to avoid driving fatigued.

TAC Acting CEO, Tony Dudley, said partnering with VTIC to engage directly with the state’s vast tourism network would play a vital role in highlighting the importance of driving safely and the danger of drowsy driving.

“With fatigue a major contributing factor to road trauma in Victoria, the TAC’s partnership with VTIC is an important platform to engage with people travelling throughout our state on the dangers of drowsy driving and help them get to their destination safely,” Mr Dudley said.

“We know that VTIC has such a great network of Visitor Information Centres and they are the ideal touch point for us to engage with traveling motorists on how to ensure they continue their journey safely.”

VTIC CEO, Felicia Mariani, said the partnership with the TAC was a natural alignment, given that visitors to Victoria use our reads extensively to engage with the destination.

“With driving holidays emerging as such a significant part of our visitation mix, our partnership with TAC makes perfect sense. Visitors to the state travel long distances on unfamiliar roads, and in all variety of weather conditions.  Delivering safe driving messages to this audience is vital to ensure they reach their destination safely.

The Visitor Information Centres across Victoria are the perfect place to stop, revive, and learn how travellers can best engage with towns and centres they will be visiting on their journey.

Submissions for the Top Tourism Town Awards closed in April and the public voting component will take place in June. Winners will be announced at a special ceremony in July.

Find out more information on the TAC website on Pause Stops and how to avoid driving while fatigued.

Pictured outside the Melbourne Visitors hub, a man in a suit hands in pockets and a woman in a black white spotted jacket. The building is grey historical stone. A blue logo with a yellow i is on two signs.

TAC acting CEO Tony Dudley and VTIC CEO Felicia Mariani outside the Melbourne Visitor Hub.

Download Hi-ResPictured outside the Melbourne Visitors hub, a man in a suit hands in pockets and a woman in a black white spotted jacket. The building is grey historical stone. A blue logo with a yellow i is on two signs.

Pictured outside the Melbourne Visitors hub, a man in a suit hands in pockets and a woman in a black white spotted jacket. The building is grey historical stone. A blue logo with a yellow i is on two signs.

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