Big Red Group partners with the City of Melbourne

Big Red Group to head up City of Melbourne’s new tourism booking service Our partnership with the City of Melbourne

Thursday, 27 February, 2025 (Melbourne, Australia) – After a competitive tender process, The City of Melbourne is excited to announce its partnership with Big Red Group on its new tourism booking service, making it easier for visitors to explore the city. 

Designed with the 14.9 million tourists who visit Melbourne annually, the Experience Booking Desk run by Experience Oz will make it easier and more enjoyable to explore everything Melbourne and Victoria has to offer. 

Located at the Melbourne Visitor Hub at Melbourne Town Hall, the new service expands on the hub’s offerings, providing visitors with the ultimate one-stop shop to experience Melbourne, from guided tours to transport services, and local attractions.

The Desk will be staffed by friendly local experts, who will provide free detailed recommendations, tailored itineraries, and on-the-spot bookings for a range of activities and experiences, whether they’re accomplished travellers, Melbourne locals, or first-time tourists.

Key services offered at the new Experience Booking Desk include:

• Tour Bookings: Explore Melbourne’s celebrated sites and hidden gems with curated walking tours, bus tours, day trips, and cultural experiences led by knowledgeable guides.
• Transport Assistance: Get support with all your transport options, including airport transfers, public transport passes, car rentals, and ride-sharing services as well as your wider booking needs.
• Attraction and Event Tickets: Reserve tickets for Melbourne’s top attractions, experiences, events, and festivals, including galleries, museums, sporting events, and live performances.

According to the City of Melbourne’s latest Melbourne Economy Snapshot, Melbourne is Australia’s number one city for interstate spending and visitors, providing significant opportunities for local businesses to thrive. The Snapshot also revealed that between September and December last year, international and interstate visitors generated two-thirds of Melbourne’s total visitor spend.

City of Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece said:

“We are thrilled to partner with Big Red Group to offer this new service to the more than 14.9 million visitors who visit Melbourne each and every year.”

“Our friendly team of experts at the Melbourne Visitor Hub already deliver top-tier services to travellers – offering local insights and the best ways to discover Melbourne like a true Melburnian.”

“As Australia’s top city for interstate spend and visitors, the new booking desk will allow our local experts to provide more personalised itineraries and on-the-spot bookings to ensure visitors can enjoy a seamless, stress-free stay in our beautiful city.”

David Anderson, Co-Founder and CEO of the Big Red Group said: 

“At Big Red Group we live and breathe our ethos of stories over stuff, which is why we’re delighted to work with The City of Melbourne to ensure visitors to the city have an experience they’ll cherish forever.” 

“Being part of the hub also means we have a fantastic opportunity to spotlight the 45,000 small-business operators in Melbourne – 637 who operate in the state through the Big Red Group Network – and are ready and raring to share their passion for the city and all it has to offer.”
Visitors can access the Experience Booking Desk by visiting the Melbourne Visitor Hub at Melbourne Town Hall. For more information, visit the City of Melbourne.