Existing advertiser support
1. Making updates
Updates to advertisement listings are personally by us at no cost. Simply email infotravelvictoria.com.au with the details you need changed. When updating photos, we can either copy them from another website (e.g. your own website, AirBnB, etc) or you can transfer them to us using the Filemail transfer service. Ensure you have ownership or usage permission for any material you provide to us.
Simple text and pricing updates are typically performed within 24 hours of being sent to us. Photo updates may require an extra day for us to process. If your requested changes have not been completed within two days of submitting them to us, please contact us to check.
If you view your advertisement and the changes we have made don't appear to show up, you may need to press the "refresh" or "reload" button (usually a circular arrow icon) in your web browser to force it to bypass its cache (local storage of previously downloaded documents) so it fetches the newly updated page. Mobile devices tend to strongly hold onto old versions of images to limit data transfers, so you may need to apply the option to clear your browsing data.
There are no self-serve facilities whereby advertisers can change the contents of their advertisement themselves. We maintain full editorial control over the contents published to ensure a consistent and high standard across all accommodation listings.
2. Availability calendar
We can incorporate an availability calendar within your listing. It will save guests telephoning or emailing you with simple availability enquiries.
You do not need to maintain a separate calendar with us. Instead, we sync your availability calendar with other calendars you maintain, such as those from accommodation booking sites (Airbnb, Stayz, Booking.com, etc), a calendar you have with own online booking system (NewBook, RMS, etc) or a general calendar like Google. This syncing process is automatic. It will happen either once a day or once every two hours, depending on the calendar source.
To activate the syncing process, please send us the live iCal export link for your calendar. Instructions for accessing this export link will vary depending on the calendar system you are using, so you may need to consult with your calendar provider for help.
If you are using the services of a channel manager to distribute your availability calendar to multiple platforms, you will need to provide us with the live calendar export link from that system which maintains your global calendar. Otherwise, you will need to provide us with the live calendar export link from each platform you have calendars on as the live export data usually does not include details of bookings from other platforms.
We can support properties with multiple calendars - for example, if you have individual calendars for each unit in a group of apartments.
If you do not currently have a calendar on another accommodation website, here are some options.
Google Calendar
This is ideal if you have a Google account, particularly if you want to manage your calendar on your Android tablet or phone.
- Set up and use your calendar - see getting started
- Provide us with the "secret address in iCal format" for a specific calendar - see sync your calendar with computer programs
Apple Calendar app
If you have an Apple device (iPad, iPhone or Mac computer), you can use the native calendar app as your availability calendar.
- Ensure iCloud storage is enabled for your calendar (settings → Apple ID → iCloud → calendars)
- Go into the Calendar app and create a new calendar
- Go into the calendar configuration for the newly created calendar using the "i" symbol
- Activate "public calendar"
- Use "share link" to email the link to us
When adding in booked dates, ensure you add them to the correct calendar as the app can manipulate and display multiple calendars at once.
3. Performance of your advertisement
We cannot track how many people have telephoned you directly, turned up at your property to enquire in person (if you have an on-site reception), or those that found your website and made an enquiry or booking through it. But we do have the facilities to record statistics related to some basic aspects of your advertisement's performance to give you an idea of the exposure it is providing.
Your advertisement's monthly performance statistics are accessed by clicking on the work tools icon shown within your advertisement in the bottom right corner of the page. Those statistics are updated each month and show the following items.
Full page ad views
This shows how many people looked at your full page advertisement. Given that your phone number is displayed, some of those people may then have telephoned you directly to enquire or make a booking. For those properties with an on-site reception, some of those people may actually turn up at your property in person to enquire or organise a stay.
Visits to your official website
If you have a website listed, this shows the number of people that wanted further information about your property and then clicked on the link to take them to your own website. These people may have then submitted an enquiry or booking from your website. So while that enquiry or booking may have come directly from your own website, they may have gotten there in the first place due to your advertisement on Travel Victoria.
Visits to your on-line booking system
If you have set up a real-time on-line availability and booking system for your property, we generally would have provided a link into this facility. Shown here are the number of people that have clicked directly through to your booking system. Some of those people may then check availability or make a booking from there, which they got to because of the direct link to your on-line booking system on Travel Victoria.
Visits to your availability calendar
Shown here are the number of people that have viewed your availability calendar. If a prospective guest has seen a suitable vacancy when looking at the calendar, they may then contact you to book a stay.
Email messages sent
This records how many people sent you an email enquiry by filling in the message window that pops up when they click on your email address. Note that we cannot track email messages that people have sent by simply cutting and pasting your displayed email address into their email application. We also cannot track email messages people have sent using an enquiry form or email address you display on your own website (if you have one).
If you have accommodation listings on other websites that Travel Victoria manages, then those statistics will be shown as well.
4. Receiving enquiries and bookings
Travel Victoria operates completely differently to many other websites that advertise accommodation. We are not a booking service like Stayz, AirBnB or booking.com. Instead, we refer people directly to you, as all your accommodation's contact details are displayed within your advertisement, including phone number, street address (important for those with an on-site reception), email address, website link and availability/booking links.
Receiving enquiries and bookings by phone, from your website (if you have one) or through your booking system (if you have one) is done seamlessly from your listing on Travel Victoria. Prospective guests either phone you directly or simply follow the links we publish to your accommodation's own website and/or online booking page.
Receiving enquiries via email is a little different. If a prospective guest clicks on the email address displayed in your listing or uses the "enquire now" button, they will be presented with an enquiry form to fill in, and those details will be emailed directly to you. The email will be sent from the address bookings@travelvictoria.com.au. Replying to that email will send a response directly to the email address of the prospective guest. We recommend that you add bookings@travelvictoria.com.au to the white list or safe sender list of your email provider so that enquiry messages get delivered directly to your inbox and not your junk or spam folder. If you have accommodation listings on other websites that Travel Victoria manages, then email enquiries will come from the email address of bookings@ followed by the respective website address.
5. Extra promotion
There are several ways to increase exposure your accommodation property receives. All are completely free.
Specials
Discounts or bonuses can be displayed on our accommodation specials page. Specials must run for a fixed period of time, such as a specific month, season or holiday period, and cannot span a period of more than 4 months.
Facebook promotions
We have a number of Facebook pages with a combined follower count of tens of thousands. If you wish to highlight your property through our Facebook pages, particularly if you have a special offer available or a last minute deal, let us know, and we will schedule a promotion.
In fairness to all our clients, free Facebook postings are limited to one posting per property per calendar year. Facebook postings are strictly subject to availability as we have many more accommodation listings than posting slots available in a year, with priority given to introducing newly listed properties to our followers. Additional postings are available for a fee of $50, however they are limited to no more than one every 4 months.
Beach Stays website
Beach Stays is a website which lists only accommodation located within 500 metres walk of the beach or water. It is typically used by people whose primary consideration when planning a beach holiday is the actual location of the accommodation to the coast. So if your property is no more than 500 metres walk from the coast, you are entitled to a free listing on Beach Stays.
No maintenance is required for your Beach Stays listing as it will contain exactly the same wording and photographs as your Travel Victoria listing, although presented in a different style. In addition, a walking map will be included by us to illustrate that your property is indeed within 500 metres walk of the coast. Any updates that are made to your Travel Victoria listing will automatically flow through to your Beach Stays listing.
Dogs On Holidays website
Dogs On Holidays is a website which lists only accommodation that is dog friendly. If your property has a suitable area outside for pets or permits them to come inside, then you are entitled to a Dogs On Holidays listing. Note that properties which require dogs to stay inside an owner's vehicle or caravan at all times are not regarded as being dog friendly.
Your Dogs On Holidays listing is maintenance free as it will contain the same information as your Travel Victoria listing, although presented in a different style. You have the option of slightly altering the descriptive wording specifically for Dogs On Holidays if you need to. In addition, there is a special "dog information" section where you can highlight the conditions and features of those staying with dogs. Any updates that are made to your Travel Victoria listing will automatically flow through to your Dogs On Holidays listing.
6. Guest reviews
We don't publish guest reviews or feedback from guests who have stayed at your property on the Travel Victoria website unless you supply us with that information to include within your listing. As we don't take bookings directly on behalf of guests, we have no way of knowing if a review submitted to us by a guest is legitimate, hence the only reviews we publish are provided by property owners.
7. Billing arrangements
At the end of your annual advertising period, a renewal invitation and invoice are sent out to you by email. Renewals are billed according to our current advertising rates.
Renewals are of course optional, although if you don't intend to renew or your establishment is no longer operating, we would appreciate you letting us know.
You can check when your advertising is paid up to and verify a renewal payment has been received by viewing your advertisement's statistics. They are accessed by clicking on the work tools icon shown within your advertisement in the bottom right corner of the page. Those details are updated shortly after we receive your renewal payment.
8. Change of ownership or closure
If you sell your accommodation property, your advertisement is transferred to the new owners at no cost, and it will continue to run until the end of its advertising period, at which time it can be renewed if the new owners desire. Please notify us of the sale so we can update our internal records accordingly. Please also inform the new owners that they do have an advertisement running on Travel Victoria and that it can be updated at any time once they take over.
Refunds for unused advertising if you cease offering holiday accommodation at your property or you sell it during your advertising period are available, provided the property has been listed with us for at least one year. If you have other holiday property listings with us, that refund can be used a credit to off-set future renewal costs or the cost of a new property listing.
If you have recently taken over an accommodation property that is advertised on Travel Victoria, please email infotravelvictoria.com.au to introduce yourself and to ensure we have your contact details up to date.
9. About how we operate
Travel Victoria is privately owned and receives no government funding. It commenced operation in 2004 and is run by a small and dedicated team who are passionate about Victoria and promoting its many destinations, attractions and experiences to visitors from within Australia and overseas.
While we are not associated with the government tourism authority, nor its official travel website "Visit Victoria", we do share the common goal of showcasing Victoria to visitors and encouraging people to tour the state and stay overnight at accommodation properties.
Travel Victoria staff work from home. This has the advantage of us being available to help you 7 days a week.
Travel Victoria is associated with a number of organisations in the tourism and hospitality industry.
10. Any questions?
Email us at infotravelvictoria.com.au. We reply 7 days a week.