Port Stephens hosts Australia’s peak regional tourism event

How to draw more tourists beyond the capital cities to regional areas will be discussed at the 2014 Australian Regional Tourism Convention, which will be held in Port Stephens for the first time from October 20-23, 2014.

Nature and indigenous tourism, improving customer service, regional branding, refreshing tourism attractions and the growing importance of digital marketing will also be canvassed at Australia’s premier regional tourism event, which draw hundreds of tourism industry leaders from around Australia, boosting the Port Stephens economy by an estimated $150,000.

The major four-day event, which Destination Port Stephens helped win for the area, will be based at the Ramada Shoal Bay Resort in Port Stephens, with social events also held at Vues on the Bay and Ocean View Restaurant in Fingal Bay with delegates spending one day on field trip to the Central Coast.

Registrations are still available by emailing [email protected] or calling the Australian Regional Tourism Network (ARTN). Discounts are available for local tourism operators in the Port Stephens, Newcastle and Hunter regions.

ARTN Chairman, Steve Rosa, said the convention would address important issues facing the regional tourism industry, with delegates able to better understand their competition and discover successful strategies and programs that have worked in other regions.

“We are confident our 2014 convention in Port Stephens will prove a great success and lead to bigger successes for players in our vital regional tourism industry which drives the economies of so many destinations such as Port Stephens itself,” Mr Rosa said.

Sponsors of the 2014 Australian Regional Tourism Convention include, Destination NSW, Destination Port Stephens, Central Coast Tourism, Newcastle Airport, Virgin Australia, MyTravelResearch.com, Star Ratings Australia. Austrade and Sepia Consulting.

sourced:traveldailynews.asia