Stakeholder Update | December 2019

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Seasons Greetings From all the team at Destination Sydney Surrounds South, we wish you all the best for the festive season.   Please support regional communities by continuing to #buyfromthebush, #stayinthebush and #BuyRegional. Wishing everyone a safe and relaxing break and a prosperous 2020. The Team, Destination Sydney Surrounds South Holidaying in Regional NSW  The bushfires continue to impact parts of New South Wales, however there are also many areas that remain unaffected by the fires. We encourage visitors to New South Wales to maintain their travel plans and bookings over the Christmas and Summer period, but should be vigilant and seek the most up to date information prior to departure. Follow updates from the Rural Fire Service, National Parks, NSW Police and Transport Management Centre via relevant websites and social media for the latest news. Check the following for updates National Parks and Wildlife Alerts NSW Rural Fire Service Download the Fires Near Me App Live Traffic Emergency.nsw.gov.au Save the Date – Monday 24th February 2020 As we move into a new decade it’s time we took a look at the trends, opportunities and challenges ahead in the 20’s.  Diarise Monday the 24th February for the ‘Tourism in the 20s’ visitor economy symposium to be held at the Novotel, Wollongong.  This will be a thought provoking and insightful day with presenters talking the big issues, trends and opportunities coming our way in 2020 and beyond. Will you be ready for more change? Destination NSW Westpac Tourism Expenditure Monitor The new Monitor has been developed in a collaborative partnership between Destination NSW and Westpac to support the exiting Tourism Research Data and to provide and greater understand of how visitors spend money when they travel throughout NSW. More Information Black Olive Pop-Up opens in Wollongong Celebrity, chef Mark Olive has opened a pop-up restaurant to highlight and promote native foods and Aboriginal tourism within the Illawarra. The initiative builds on the latest series of his TV show On Country Kitchen which showcases the culinary delights of the South Coast. For more information and bookings, contact info@blackolive.net.au.   Promoting Regional Visits  Tourism Research Australia’s ‘Beach, Bush and Beyond’ report shows plenty can be done to influence these behaviours with the objective to shift the international visitor dial in favour of regional Australia. A successful dispersal strategy will enhance and diversify the traveller experience and maintain the demand to visit Australia. More Information Bushfire Impacts on Your Small Business The NSW Small Business Commission on behalf of the NSW Government’s Bushfire Recovery Business and Tourism Sub Committees is seeking feedback from NSW small business and tourism operators on the impacts of NSW bushfires.  The survey will inform business and tourism recovery plans. All NSW small business and tourism operators who have been impacted by the NSW bushfires are encouraged to partake. Take a moment to fill in the survey Here Industry Skill Development – Sip, Chat and Discover  DNSW and NSW Wine Industry Association held to two well attended industry workshops in Robertson and Shoalhaven Heads to explore the opportunities to grow the experiences available across the food and wine sector. Operators were introduced to leading online distribution channels and heard insights from Expedia, Red Balloon and Booking Boss. Tourism Australia Philausophy Campaign Update Tourism Australia has released another industry video as part of the Come Live our Philausophy campaign. The video features Brenda Miley from Let’s Go Surfing in New South Wales. There are a number of ways to get involved in the campaign, find out how here.