Tourism plan has no place for Peninsula

The Peninsula will not have any significant place in the future of tourism on the Central Coast, according to a tourism plan released last month.

Instead, the Central Coast Tourism Opportunity Plan Iists Gosford, Terrigal, Wyong and The Entrance as its major tourism nodes.

The Peninsula's potential was identified as its aquatic centre in Woy Woy, and whale watching and photo opportunities at Ettalong and Woy Woy.

A Brisbane Water Adventure Cluster has also been listed as a possible investment opportunity which would include the development of a series of water based activities such as cruise operations and jet boating activities on Brisbane Water.

Five of the opportunities were identified as catalyst projects which are expected to have a significant impact towards supporting sustainable tourism growth in the region.

These catalyst projects comprise a motorsport precinct under consideration for development in the Wyong LGA, the construction of a sporting hub at Tuggerah's Pioneer Dairy, a tourism hub at The Entrance, in addition to a tourism precinct at Mt Penang and a waterfront development at Gosford.

Central Coast Tourism chairman Mr Bob Diaz said that he was delighted to release the Plan.

"This document has identified new investment and development opportunities vital to meet future visitors' expectations and demands," said Mr Diaz.

"Without investment in these projects and experiences there is no doubt that the region will lag behind our competitors and visitor numbers will decline.

"Central Coast Tourism will work together with the local councils, the State and Federal Governments and Regional Development Australia to encourage investment in the region to ensure that we maximise the growth opportunities of both visitor numbers and length of stay," he concluded.

Central Coast Tourism has issued an open invitation to the local community and businesses who would like to provide input into the direction of tourism on the Central Coast to attend one of two workshops to be held at the Crowne Plaza, Terrigal, on Thursday, May 16, from 9:30am to 11:30am and 1:30pm to 3:30pm.

The workshops will be used to provide information for the development of a new Destination Management Plan, which will provide an agreed vision for the direction of the tourism industry during the period of 2013 to 2016.

The last decade saw a high point of 5.3 million visitors to the Central Coast in 2003.

However, the number declined to 4.8 million the following year and has reduced further since.

Last year's total visitor count was 4.3 million.

The Tourism Opportunity Plan attributed the decline to the global recession of 2008 through to 2012, a lack of new product to stimulate demand and repeat visitation, and low cost airlines which encouraged Australians to travel internationally.

The Tourism Opportunity Plan forecasted that if its recommendations were adopted, the region would see a year-on-year increase of roughly 150,000 visitors.

The Plan recommend the implementation of 44 investment and infrastructure opportunities for the purpose of improving the reduced visitor numbers the region has experienced across the past 10 years.

Media release, 18 Apr 2013, 7 May 2013

Leeanne Dyer, Central Coast Tourism

Central Coast Tourism Opportunity Plan, April 2013

The Stafford Group