TRRA TOURISM FORUM – 11 MARCH 2013

  “REVITALISING THE VISITOR ECONOMY”

A full report on the forum is available: HERE

BACKGROUND REPORTS

For those with large download capacity and lots of spare time to read, the following are links to background information on the Visitor Economy Taskforce and the Industry Action Plans:-

http://www.business.nsw.gov.au/doing-business-in-nsw/industry-action-plans/visitor-economy

http://www.destinationnsw.com.au/our-industry/visitor-economy-taskforce

POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH IN VISITOR NUMBERS FROM CHINA

If you missed the Newcastle Herald article , Port Stephens has a local delegation heading off next week to drum up some local business from China.

Port tourism on mission to woo Chinese

By AMY EDWARDS March 4, 2013, 11 p.m.

TOURISM operators at Port Stephens are pitching the region in China in an attempt to capitalise on the Asian travel market.The Hunter Region was the second-most popular tourism destination in NSW for Chinese travellers behind Sydney last year.

Marking the largest delegation of any NSW region, representatives from Destination Port Stephens, Moonshadow Cruises, Port Stephens Four Wheel Drive and Newcastle Airport are taking part in the “China Mission” all this week.

Port Stephens delegates will meet representatives of South West China tourism in Chengdu on Tuesday before leaving for Beijing on Wednesday.

According to Destination NSW, China is now the second-biggest visitor market for NSW after New Zealand with Chinese tourists spending a record 10.4 million nights and $1.2 billion in NSW last year.

Chinese visitor numbers are projected to rise 78 per cent by 2021.

Destination Port Stephens marketing manager Tars Bylhouwer said the beachside destination had been targeting the Chinese market since 1998

Posted By Margaret Wilkinson, TRRA Inc. Secretary