With the global lockdown of 2020 stretching the limits of how businesses operate, Show Me Melbourne has taken an adaptable approach to operate under streamlined guidelines to ensure the safety of their guests.

The Show Me Melbourne team has recently taken on the task of re-opening for business with notable changes made to how they run tours in and around this mesmerising destination.

According to Show Me Melbourne’s owner, Jess Lothian “The capital of Victoria has seen a slight increase in visitors and now more than ever, and our extensive experience has allowed us to put the theory of our precautionary systems to test as we welcome guests to partake in our tours.”

There are preventative measures the team has been taking to ensure the safety of their guests, and in addition to that, the City of Melbourne has pledged to do their part in helping the tourism industry to once again reach thriving heights of success.

To Mask or Not to Mask…

They say that fortune favours the bold and while this may ring true in certain scenarios, there is no room for error after this global pandemic presented its staying power.

However, there is much to be said for businesses who have done everything in their power to ensure that they adhere to the strict operational guidelines put in place by the Australian government.

“It takes a fair amount of effort to restructure operational standards and to ensure efficacy, but on November the 24th, 2020, we proceeded with our guidelines to open ourselves up for business once again,” assures Lothian.

Show Me Melbourne was been given the green light to proceed with their onboarding and operational requirements for all of their specialised tours that include the following:

Guests joining for bus and walking tours must wear face masks in indoor areas and maintain social distancing while observing the hygiene practices put in place by the Show Me Melbourne team.
A record-keeping log to disclose guest information to the DHHS in the event of a confirmed case on one of their tours.
Travel-only purposes in tour buses will apply and should there be a stop that exceeds the 15-minute timeframe, the bus will then be aired and re-sanitised.
The team will not be using recirculated air to ventilate the bus, and where practical, the windows of the bus will remain open.
As instructed by the government, all journeys that exceed a duration of 30 minutes will have to be stopped for a proper ventilation process before the tour continues. All guests will be asked to disembark for the duration of the ventilation process.

While these practices are operational, it has also been said that Show Me Melbourne will not be operating at a 100% capacity for the time being.

But more pressingly, the City of Melbourne has recently made a restorative course of action to support the businesses of this city public and hopes to be the core of support to set things in motion.

Hitting the Reset Button

In a very thorough COVID-19 Reactivation and Recovery Plan of 2020, the City of Melbourne has revealed insights that provide a unique window of opportunity to consider what the community wants for the future post-recovery, but Lothian thinks this can only be “achieved realistically.”

By understanding the issues as well as the opportunities that most are facing due to COVID-19, The City of Melbourne was forced to think out of the box and to set a course of action in motion that will ultimately support their future plans inclusive of the following:

To re-ignite interest in Melbourne with its vibrancy, activities, open spaces and amenities. Victoria’s capital is a safe and accessible gathering place for entertainment, cultural experiences, business, education, sporting events and tourism. It’s a place that welcomes people from all walks of life and carries a torch for diversity.
To focus on the Aboriginal knowledge and history that underpins the country’s identity, spaces, events and experiences.
By highlighting Melbourne’s livability and unique identity is pivotal. It attracts talent, innovation and investment which is powered by the unified actions falling under the wings of the government and the private sector.
Encourage the celebration of Melbourne’s distinctive character by protecting its natural heritage and by drawing attention to these matters for future generations.
To preserve and protect Melbourne’s natural assets alongside the city’s identity and amenities.
Striving for dynamically reimagined buildings and processes that welcome sustainability and adaptive uses for an optimised existence under a new, fortified infrastructure.

There is a lot to consider and more to implement by the government, The City of Melbourne, and its people.

This includes the likes of Show Me Melbourne and other tour operators who are now actively communicating how they are navigating these trying times with flair and fondness for this place they call home.

For more information visit the Show Me Melbourne website or call their team of experts on +61 3 8822 4568.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

This Summer, take Melbourne by storm with a carefully-curated experience led by one of Victoria’s leading day tour experts.

Australia’s second-largest city is not only home to a flourishing central business district, but also suburbs that spread more than 40 km to the south, 30 km to the east, 20 km to the north and finally sprawling across vast, flat basalt plains to the west. It’s a bustling, vibrant city filled with diverse characteristics and deep-rooted culture centred around the arts, food, fashion, sport and history.

Melbourne has a reputation for conservatism and of course financial soundness – attributes that have contributed to the rapid growth of this city against the backdrop of a revelatory, burgeoning skyline that leads to the expanding suburbs beyond.

Melbourne’s impressive growth and expansion aside, 2019 proved to be a year of staggering statistics within the tourism sector, welcoming a collective 39.5 million domestic and international visitors.

Right in the middle of this impressive influx, is Show Me Melbourne – a tour operator producing immersive day tours around the city’s most thrilling experiences.

Making It Memorable

“Show Me Melbourne’s aim has always been to lead excursions that are unique, but that also cover an element of history or culture other tour operators do not touch base on,” says Jess Lothian, owner of the day-tour company, Show Me Melbourne.

This has helped them to serve their knowledge of Melbourne in four niches (History & Culture, Shopping, Sports and Private) that highlights a collection of distinctive itineraries.

Furthermore, Lothian said that “Show Me Melbourne’s jam-packed excursions are perfect for boys’ and girls’ weekends away, it brings together corporate groups but also works well with families and groups of friends who wish to explore the capital of Victoria with the help of our local insight.”

It comes as no surprise that nothing but the best insight and a journey off the beaten track can be expected, but also the anticipation to be welcomed as a friend and not just another guest on a list.

Lothian merged her professional experiences (including that of Melbourne Shopping Experiences and Melbourne Sports Tours) by adding the Rotary ethos “Service Above Self” to create a solid platform from which she hopes to share the joys of Melbourne from a relaxed and informative perspective.

A Precautionary Tale

The “New Normal” definitely ruffled some feathers and has forced many industries to review and adapt their way of doing business. The tourism sector is no exception – especially as an industry that has suffered more greatly than others.

To welcome these changes, Show Me Melbourne has taken “zero shortcuts to provide a safe and socially-distant environment for guests to enjoy the city in,” according to Lothian. Granted, the streets may be quieter than usual, but perhaps this will present a few advantages in itself.

Think more legroom to stride down the sidewalks of the city, first pickings on bargains, less waiting times for drinks and lunch, and of course better opportunities to catch that perfect selfie in the middle of the street.

To warrant that they meet operational standards as required by the Australian government, basic requirements to onboard a tour must be met. All bus and walking tours are handled with the utmost care guaranteeing physical distancing, the wearing of face masks indoors and observing good hygiene.

Additionally, the team will make use of a record-keeping log to disclose guest information with the DHHS in the event of a confirmed case on one of their tours.

Time in the tour buses will be limited to travel only, and where a stop is longer than 15 minutes, the bus will be aired and re-sanitised. Show Me Melbourne will also not use recirculated air to ventilate the bus and windows will be open where practical.

In addition to that, “If any leg of the journey exceeds 30 minutes, it will be broken with a rest stop to ventilate the bus. All guests will need to disembark for the duration of the ventilation stop,” confirmed Lothian when asked about any other preventative measures that the business is implementing.

“Show Me Melbourne is as ready as ever to guide domestic and international visitors through Victoria’s fairest with the help of our precautionary regulations,” says Lothian.

But it’s also their well-rounded outlook on guest relations, and a healthy dose of optimism that leads the way through the streets of a city waiting to welcome everyone with open arms.