Financial advisors join Destination Port Stephens - Proving tourism is everybody’s business

Destination Port Stephens’ new low-cost membership model aimed at engaging all businesses in the region is proving successful with non-tourism enterprises joining the organisation.

One of the first non-tourism businesses to take advantage of the flat, annual membership fee of $100 is Aspire Wealth and Protection, a Nelson Bay-based, self-licensed financial advisory firm that has offered the Port Stephens corporate sector and residential community financial, home loan and retirement planning services since 1994. The firm now also offers travel agency services in Nelson Bay with an ‘All Australian Journeys’ office in their Aspirations Lounge. This, combined with regular visits from ‘helloworld Thornton’ travel agents, offers the local community a convenient place to book an Australian or international holiday or day trip.

Aspire Wealth and Protection Director, Christopher Hale, said the firm joined Destination Port Stephens in recognition of the benefits tourism brought to the region and to capitalise on the destination marketing body’s promotional network and industry contacts.

“Aspire Wealth and Protection has been part of the Port Stephens community for many years and Destination Port Stephens is an innovative and far-reaching organisation that represents the region and promotes it so we are confident our membership of the body will achieve mutually beneficial results, with more locals knowing about our services as well,” said Mr Hale.

“Many visitors also like Port Stephens so much they end up living here so the tourism industry is definitely integral to our work, with many of our business clients involved directly in offering visitors services.”

Destination Port Stephens CEO, Janelle Gardner, welcomed Aspire Wealth and Protection to the organisation and said she hoped more non-tourism businesses would take advantage of opportunities membership offered them.

“Businesses like Aspire Wealth and Protection can benefit from membership with us in many ways including our work with the Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) market which comprises a large proportion of visitors to Port Stephens,” Ms Gardner said.

“Tourism is the economic driver of Port Stephens, with more than two million visitors generating more than $400 million a year for the region. Tourism benefits all sectors of our economy which makes it everybody’s business. Many new businesses like Aspire Wealth and Protection have been drawn to our new 2015/16 membership fee of just $100 so we are confident the increased support from across the corporate spectrum will help us to expand our visitor economy and make Port Stephens the number one regional destination in NSW.”

sourced:traveldailynews.asia