A five-year Destination Management Plan designed to capitalise on the growth of tourism has been developed by the NSW city of Newcastle as a key driver to help the city recover from the economic burdens brought on by COVID-19.
The plan, which has been created with significant input from the local industry, comes at a time of major growth for the city’s hotel sector, with several new properties under construction and due to open soon. These include ‘Kingsley’ by Crystalbrook Collection and QT Newcastle, with plans well advanced for Doma Group’s Little National brand to expand to the Hunter Valley gateway in the coming years.
Prior to the pandemic, visitors to Newcastle were contributing AUD$1 billion annually to the local economy. In 2019, more than 5.1 million visitors from domestic and overseas markets ventured to the harbourside city.
Newcastle Lord Mayor, Nuatali Nelmes, said the city had spearheaded a consolidated approach toward shaping Newcastle’s future as a destination for visitors and tourists.
“The city is committed to driving the growth and sustainability of the visitor economy with a new tourism plan designed as a visionary tool, instrumental to driving Newcastle’s social and economic recovery,” she said.
“The Destination Management Plan provides our City with a blueprint to work together across government and industry to create meaningful partnerships in order to achieve a shared vision for Newcastle as a premier visitor destination, showcasing the City’s rich art, cultural and culinary scene, a vibrant night-time economy and experiences that celebrate our natural environment and creative community.”