CENTRAL Coast Council has chosen a new organisation to deliver tourism and marketing services for the region, and has awarded them a larger budget to do the job.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Affinity Partnership Pty Ltd – a consortium of three companies with international experience – had won the two-year contract, the council said today.
The decision ends Central Coast Tourism’s 22-year reign as the region’s chief tourism body.
Central Coast Tourism’s existing annual funding of $566,210 will expire at the end of June.
Affinity will receive an increased annual budget of $800,000 to take up the job from July 1.
“Affinity’s expertise extends across international and domestic tourism marketing; data-driven strategies; partnerships; tourism research and insights; and facilitating membership and customer loyalty programs, as well as training and mentoring for the tourism industry,” the council said.
Council’s group leader of connected communities, Julie Vaughan, said she was confident council had found the right organisation.
“Tourism is a significant industry on the Central Coast employing over 12,500 people and generating over $900 million a year for the regional economy,” Ms Vaughan said.
“We want to assist local tourism operators and other businesses to capitalise on the NSW visitor growth opportunities and bring more visitor spending to the Central Coast.
“Affinity has demonstrated a solid strategy to do just that.”
The Central Coast team from Affinity – MyTravelResearch.com and Surfer Rosa Communications – have experience ranging across the Legendary Pacific Coast Touring Route, Northern Territory Tourism, Destination NSW, Tourism Australia and Austrade, and as Australia’s most awarded data-driven agency, the council said.
The company’s industry services coordinator is based on the Central Coast.
Affinity will begin its work next month with “an immediate focus on a membership participation program”, securing partners for a new marketing campaign and Destination New South Wales co-operative marketing funds, the council said.
Their first action will be to make contact with the industry and share their program of work.
“Combined with council’s increased tourism investment, a new destination network designed to attract more visitors to the region, a new destination management plan, and the advent of a new marketing approach to implement it – we are all confident we can head in the same direction to deliver more for our region,” Ms Vaughan said.
Council said it would work with Central Coast Tourism “on a smooth transition” as they finalise their contract with council on June 30.
Central Coast Tourism’s board met recently to discuss the organisation’s future. They voted not to wind up the operation.
Council’s chief executive officer Rob Noble said he welcomed Central Coast Tourism’s decision to continue to have input into the direction of the Coast’s tourism.
Mr Noble said it was an exciting time for tourism on the Central Coast, with more changes happening now than have happened in the last 20 years.
“The local tourism industry told us over 18 months ago that they wanted improvements on how tourism is approached with a clear message to create the environment for tourism to flourish,” he said.
“That is what we are doing.”
