Trams and the Yarra River top Melbourne Icon list

Melbourne trams and the Yarra River have been rated the top ‘icons for Melbourne, Australia’ by domestic and international convention delegates.

The findings are part of the Melbourne Delegate Study 2004, commissioned by the Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB) and the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre (MECC).

Domestic convention delegates voted Melbourne trams as the top icon for Melbourne followed by Southbank, the Yarra River, Federation Square and the Melbourne Cricket Ground. International convention delegates favoured the Yarra River, followed by Melbourne trams, Federation Square and the Botanical Gardens.

“Melburnians have always argued about what is Melbourne’s best icon. International delegates favour the Yarra River, which is not surprising as our main convention and exhibition facilities and many of our hotels and restaurants surround the river. These findings add to the debate and highlight the differences between Australian perceptions and international perceptions,” said Garry Kingshott, CEO, MCVB.

The study also found that 71% of convention delegates chose Melbourne’s famous trams as their primary means of transport around the CBD. Delegates commented that the City Circle Tram service was both an attractive and effective means of traveling around the city.

“Melbourne trams are unique in Australia and help to identify and promote Melbourne both domestically and internationally. Our study found that delegates were satisfied with the transport system in Melbourne and that ‘getting around Melbourne was easy’. These two factors are extremely important when it comes to attracting business tourists to Melbourne,” Mr Kingshott said.

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