Inland NSW Tourism has successfully received Destination NSW (DNSW) funding grants for 23 product development projects across Inland NSW, as announced by the Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Hospitality and Racing, George Souris.

The funds will be further expanded with industry contributions and used to conduct a range of business development programs including initiatives to create tourism routes and trails across Armidale, Bourke, Broken Hill, Dubbo, Inverell, Narrabri, Tenterfield, Walgett, Wentworth and the Capital Country region.

Another grant will underpin a food and wine agritourism program encompassing  Boorowa, Harden, Young, Goulburn, Yass, Bungendore and the Southern Highlands (along the Southern Harvest Trail) in the south, as well as Inverell and Tenterfield in the north.

The New England North West region will also receive funding to support its expanding ‘artesian spa’ drive route, providing explanatory signage to support significant investment that has been made in upgrading spa facilities in Moree and Narrabri.

NSW’s ‘Gold Trail’ will receive support for the development and roll out of signage at key attractions across the route, including Blackguard Gully, Young, Murrumburrah, Jugiong and Binalong. Funds will also be used to enhance the Harden Gold Trail Festival and the Lambing Flats Festival. Infrastructure and tours of Lambing Flats will be developed to support the growing Chinese tour market interested in the Lambing Flats riots of 1861. 

The Nundle Visitor Information Centre’s extensive donated gemstone and mineral collection will be catalogued, preserved and presented under another grant, while Dubbo’s Oasis Valley dry rainforest project within the Elizabeth Park Regional Botanic Garden will receive funds to erect a 170 metre elevated boardwalk and explanatory signage.

The Macquarie River Trail, a series of linked experience trails which provide visitor access to the unique Macquarie Marshes, will receive funding to produce enhanced mapping and signage to help visitors’ access the area.

In addition, a comprehensive mystery shopper program will be conducted and supported by a suite of customer service professional development programs across Outback NSW.

CEO of Inland NSW Tourism, Graham Perry, says the breadth and depth of funding provides an important boost to product development initiatives at the local level throughout the Inland NSW area.

“The importance of visitation to regional economies cannot be underestimated as visitors benefit not only tourism but most sectors of regional economies – including food, wine, agriculture and retail. Visitors contribute new dollars that help create jobs and build amenities such as parks and gardens that residents can enjoy as well.”

“This funding is a great boost to help regions meet customer expectations. The support from DNSW, which will be complimented by industry contributions, provides tangible impetus to strategies to increase visitation across Inland NSW.”

Rodger Powell, Chairman of the new Inland NSW Regional Tourism Organisation added that the Tourism Minister George Souris and the O’Farrell Government are to be congratulated on delivering on another election promise that will add significant value to the Inland NSW RTO stakeholders.

“This is a great example of what can be achieved when the Government, Destination NSW, the RTO and the regional stakeholders work co-operatively towards our target of doubling visitor expenditure in our region,” said Mr Powell.

“We are confident this product development funding will result in an economic multiplier effect, with a tangible impact on visitation within the region.”

Inland NSW Tourism has received substantial funding support. 

According to Graham Perry, it is worth noting that Inland NSW received 100% of the $750,000 available.
“Importantly, this has facilitated larger cross regional programs to benefit all our members and stakeholders,” says Perry.

“In addition to these announcements we have also received approval to work with DNSW to develop a web enabled technology platform incorporating web, mobile phone apps and social media, to ensure we address customer expectations to provide dynamic, real time tourism information about Inland.”