Friday 22 May 2020

TOURISM INDUSTRY APPLAUDS INCREASE IN RESTAURANT AND CAFÉ PATRONAGE TO 50 IN NSW FROM 1 JUNE

The tourism and hospitality industry has welcomed an announcement by the NSW Government today that restaurants, cafes, pubs and clubs will be able to open their doors to up to fifty people from 1 June.

TTF CEO Margy Osmond welcomed the NSW Premier’s announcement saying it would provide much needed hope for restaurant and café business across the State, particularly those in regional areas suffering from the double whammy of the summer bushfire crisis and the more recent COVID19 pandemic.

“This announcement sends the message that NSW is once again open for business and is music to the ears of our restaurateurs, café owners and publicans not only in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong but right across the State, who make up the heart and soul of our regional tourism experience,” Margy Osmond said.

“For NSW residents who have been getting ready to hit the road and to pack their bags and head to some of our most popular regional tourist destinations from June 1, they can now also dine at fantastic regional restaurants and cafes in greater numbers with friends, family or work colleagues, and better support local business.

“Food and wine tourism is integral to our tourism offering and this will further encourage NSW residents to venture out and about and experience all that the State has to offer, while observing COVIDSafe practices and other conditions as part of the new normal environment we now find ourselves in.”

Regional communities in particular are ready to put out the welcome mat according to research commissioned by the Tourism and Transport Forum last week.

The survey of the travel intentions of 1,500 Australians (20 per cent of them NSW residents) was conducted by Newgate Research, with the results showing strong support among regional communities for an increase in domestic visitors with 70 per cent of respondents saying it would have positive impacts.

“Apart from the positive sentiment about visitors returning and injecting much needed money into struggling regional communities it is also pleasing to see that almost one in four respondents (23 per cent) to our survey expressed interest in travelling to bushfire affected areas,” Margy Osmond continued.

“While Sydney was the most popular destination with people planning trips within NSW at 30 per cent it was closely followed by regional destinations the South Coast (27 per cent), Central Coast (26 per cent), Hunter/Mid North Coast (25 per cent) and Regional NSW (21 per cent ).

“North Coast/Byron was the choice of 13 per cent and respondents are also ready to take to the slopes with 15 per cent planning a trip to the snowfields. 2020 so far has really been the tourism industry’s annus horribilis but this increase in numbers is another clear sign that we are now on the path to recovery.”

Ends.

Media Contact: TTF Policy & Government Relations Manager Lindsay Hermes lhermes@ttf.org.au I 0418 948 447