Tourism News

“Come to the Coast” tourism campaign launched

Early September saw Minister for Tourism Jodi McKay officially launch the Come to the Coast marketing campaign aimed at attracting Sydneysiders to the Central Coast for short getaways. Ms McKay said the $480,000 campaign is a partnership between Central Coast Tourism, Tourism NSW and local industry groups.

“The Central Coast’s close proximity to Sydney and other parts of regional NSW make it an ideal destination for a short getaway,” said Ms McKay. “Come to the Coast will use advertising across print, direct e-marketing and online media to promote the Central Coast as a unique and attractive visitor destination,” she said.

The Minister unveiled the campaign’s website as well as the first round of full page advertisements that will be placed in high readership publications such as The Sunday Telegraph, The Sun-Herald and Good Weekend Magazine. “The Central Coast offers an array of attractions including outdoor adventures, spectacular beaches, national parks, reserves and award winning restaurants,” said Ms McKay.

Ms McKay said that the NSW Government had contributed $162,500 to the Come to the Coast campaign under Tourism NSW’s Regional Partnership Funding Program. “The Regional Partnership Funding Program aims to assist our regional tourism operators expand campaign initiatives and increase visitor numbers to our regions,” she said.

“This year the Central Coast will receive $695,000 from the New South Wales Government under the program and this will be matched dollar for dollar by industry.” Ms McKay said the Central Coast region attracted more than four million visitors, injecting almost $740 million into the local economy last year.

Major campaign partners include Mantra Kooindah Waters Golf & Spa Resort, Australian Springtime Flora Festival, Australian Reptile Park and Glenworth Valley Outdoor Adventures. The Come to the Coast campaign will run until the end of the year.

Flora Festival great success

Close to 50,000 visitors flocked to the Australian Springtime Flora Festival to enjoy the new facilities on offer over four days between 10 – 13 September.

With the new Kariong High School now occupying the former event park at Mt Penang Parklands, Festival organisers had been anxiously watching the construction progress of the new site some 250 metres away adjoining the Mt Penang Gardens. Favoured by good weather leading up to and during the event, construction was completed in time by the park owners, Festival Development Corporation, and the Festival enjoyed visitor attendance greater than any experienced over the past five years.

Festival Director, Tony Collits said, “This was a difficult year for the Festival Committee due to the uncertainty of whether the new park would be ready in time. It was only because of the huge economic and community benefit the Festival brings to the Central Coast each year that encouraged the Committee to press ahead despite a number of obstacles.”

With the weather on our side this time, we were able to stage an event which seemed to be enjoyed by the vast number of people who attended,” he concluded.

Celebrity gardeners Don Burke, Graham Ross and Sandra Ross attended over the four days, giving presentations as well as making themselves available to answer questions from the public.

The majority of the 250 exhibitors who attended the Festival reported strong spending by visitors. Previous surveys conducted have revealed the Festival bringing over $6 million of economic benefit to the region annually as well as community groups raising over $100,000.

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