Stand By For Fresh Wave Of Tourists

Illawarra Mercury

Wednesday April 30, 2008

By BRETT COX

MARKETING NSW as Australia's surfing state would bring a wave of new visitors to the region, Tourism Wollongong boss Jim Eddy says.

A tourism conference was yesterday told of the plan to draw more international travellers beyond Sydney.

Tourism NSW international marketing group manager Carmel Beattie told an Australian Tourism Export Council conference, Tourism NSW had not done enough in the past to target the lucrative backpacker market, which last year brought $983 million to the state.

But she said the tourism body was working on a range of new ideas to boost the numbers of backpackers to the state, including a move to invite travellers to "hang ten Down Under".

Ms Beattie said it was hoped surfing on a NSW beach could become as iconic as snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef.

"From the surf point of view we actually have got it because we have got surf beaches right up and down the coast," she said.

"I mean, Queensland I love ... but they have so much of their coast actually sheltered by the reef that they can win the reef state but they don't have nearly as much surfing beaches as us, therefore we see that that's the great opportunity for us."

Mr Eddy said beaches including The Farm at Shellharbour, Sandon Point, Bellambi and Austinmer were much-loved surfing locations.

"Any initiative...that would attract more people is welcome," he said.

"With the beautiful beaches we have here we should definitely get a guernsey."

Ms Beattie said NSW was attracting tourists to the tourism meccas of Sydney and Bondi Beach, but tourists should be made aware of other regions.

"It's about the accommodation that's linked to it, it's the surf shops, it's the restaurants, it's the surf lifestyle, the beach lifestyle that I think is something we can really promote," she said.

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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