The prime purpose of tourist signing is to give visitors direction or guidance to tourist attractions and accommodation. Although standard tourist signs provide some promotional benefits to tourism businesses, this is not their primary role.
The Tourist Signing Guidelines aim to:
- provide quality signs to assist tourists finding attractions, accommodation and visitor information centres;
- provide signs that are of a high standard - simple, clear and readable;
- restrict the number of signs at one location to ensure readability and avoid driver distraction;
- reduce roadside clutter and visual pollution created by uncontrolled and inappropriate signs; and
- provide
consistent application and administration of tourist signing across the State.
Tourist Signing Guidelines [PDF, 3862 kb, 78 pp]
The key principles for signing to tourist attractions and accommodation are:
- Tourist signs provide direction and guidance to assist road users finding attractions and accommodation services. The purpose of the sign is not for advertising the business. Although tourist signs have some promotional role, the primary role is to assist navigation.
- Signing is provided to genuine tourist attractions and accommodation services.
- Promotional pictorial signs are provided as part of a statewide tourism signing strategy.
- Generally, signs are provided from the nearest arterial road, as long as this is no more than 10 km from the establishment in rural areas or 2 km from the establishment in urban areas.
- The number of tourist destinations on signs facing a driver approaching an intersection from one direction is limited to three.
Applications seeking approval to place tourist or services signs within a road reserve should be lodged with the officer in charge of tourist signing at the relevant Municipal Council.
Application forms for tourist attractions, accommodation and services signs are available here:
The application form for tourist attractions can be downloaded here [PDF, 115 kb, 8 pp]
The application form for tourist accommodation businesses can be downloaded here [PDF, 130 kb, 5 pp]
The application form for services signs can be downloaded here [PDF, 71 kb, 1pp]
The attached brochure provides the following advice to the operators/owners of tourism businesses in Victoria:
- whether the business is eligible for tourist signs;
- if so, where can the signs be placed;
- how an application can be made; and
- who pays for the sign manufacture and installation.
The purpose of this brochure is to explain the principles for providing signs to individual tourist attractions and accommodation establishments. The brochure supplements the Tourist Signing Guidelines which provide further detail, see above.
Tourist Signing Guidelines - Information for Tourism Businesses (May 2009) [PDF, 386 kb, 6pp]