TOURISM Victoria's $7.3 million "Lead a Double Life" campaign has a "Daylesford-centric" approach that is driving visitors away from Creswick, a prominent Creswick business owner has said.
Owner of Creswick cafe, the Lemon Tree, Noel Dowling said there had been no support of tourism in Creswick whatsoever.
He said the advertising and promotional material available was driving people away, not to, Creswick.
His comments follow the launch last week of the second year of the Tourism Victoria campaign in Hepburn Springs.
Mr Dowling said Creswick did not seem to be on the campaign's radar.
"Here they are spending 7.3 million and Creswick gets none," he said.
Mr Dowling said support from the council was also lacking.
"We are the largest town in the shire," he said.
"I can't remember an occasion when they supported us."
Creswick Ward councillor Don Henderson said Creswick had a great tourism product to offer and he had called on the tourism board to do some bigger promotion of the town.
Cr Henderson said the Woollen Mills and Creswick's forestry and mining histories were just some of the tourism products it had to offer.
"Creswick is the biggest population centre in the shire. Creswick should be getting promoted," he said.
"Creswick needs its share of the pie from the tourism board."
Daylesford and Macedon Ranges Tourism executive officer Graham Middleton said, as part of the spa and wellbeing campaign's strategy, Daylesford was used as the "hero destination" for the state.
"It's important to take a specific message and a singular message to the community," he said.
To make the most of the campaign, which was providing unprecedented exposure to the region, DMRT had created a range of marketing packages for local industry to promote their business and leverage off the campaign.
"Through our partnership program we would welcome all industry involvement in the campaign," Mr Middleton said.
"Novotel Creswick has been very proactive and a great partner in the program."
He said the Tasty Little Touring Map was another example of how the campaign was encouraging visitors to travel further into the region.