Mixed reaction to tourist increase

Tourist businesses on the Peninsula have had mixed reactions to reports that the Central Coast has had a six per cent increase in overnight visitors.

Ms Josie Goodwin from The Glades Motor Inn at Woy Woy has confirmed the increase with reports that the motel is as busy as it has ever been.

"We haven't been quiet at all.

"We've had a lot of people staying on business," she said.

Ms Goodwin said that they had a lot of overseas tourists throughout the Christmas period and now they were hosting more domestic visitors with many senior citizens travelling up from Sydney mid-week.

However, Ettalong Beach Tourist resort has had a different experience in recent months reporting that visitor numbers have remained stable.

Vicki Wheeler from Ocean Beach Caravan Park also said that the Park has not seen an increase in numbers in recent months, but business was by no means slow.

"We're as busy as we have always been," she said.

She said over the Christmas and Easter breaks the park had hundreds trying obtain accommodation.

In the longer term Ms Wheeler said that the park had benefited from September 11 with growing domestic tourism since then.

"More recently we have benefited a small amount from SARS as well."

She said that the majority of their customers were holidaymakers from who traveled up from Sydney.

The statistical increase in visitors to the coast is part of a wider trend with NSW recording the largest increase in overnight visitors in Australia last year outperforming the rest of Australia by two per cent.

NSW Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation Ms Sandra Nori said that the tourism industry was now over the worst consequences of the war in Iraq.

"Now is right time to go into the domestic tourism market again," she said.

In light of this, Josie Goodwin owner of The Glades Motor Inn has called tourist businesses on the Peninsula to unite to promote the area as a tourist destination.

She said the Peninsula should run similar campaigns as The Entrance and Terrigal to rejuvenate interest in the Peninsula as a holiday spot.

Alison Branley, May 9.