DWC to provide financial boost for West Coast tourism

Development West Coast is to provide nearly $250,000 towards a promotion package to attract greater numbers of domestic tourists to the region.

The $248,000 funding for Tourism West Coast is designed to boost the local economy and get more Kiwis visiting the West Coast. The money is in addition to the $86,000 DWC currently funds Tourism West Coast annually.

DWC Chairman John Sturgeon says it should attract more visitors, to come more often, stay longer and spend more.

“Tourism is a big employer on the Coast but these are tough times and to ensure tourism continues to thrive it needs a boost. If we can increase the number of domestic tourists here it is new money that gets spread around the community, from accommodation providers and supermarkets, to coffee places and petrol stations,” he says.

Tourism is the West Coast’s largest employer and a critical part of the economy generating $309million for the year ending March 2014.

Tourism West Coast Chairman Richard Benton says his Board is delighted in the confidence shown by DWC in Tourism West Coast as the funding provides a really significant opportunity to bring more domestic visitors into our region

“These funds allow us to focus on the domestic market which tends to stay for longer and subsequently spend more money. We see it as a significant amount of money that will stimulate the regional economy as visitor dollars will flow through and benefit all areas of the community,” he says.

The funding will be used for creative destination marketing and promotion initiatives, and in some cases involve joint ventures to gain leverage with organisations like the AA with its 1.4million database. There will also be a focus on boosting participation numbers to existing West Coast events and encouraging competitors, supporters, friends and family to stay longer in our region.

“We need to explore a number of innovative and different ways to attract

domestic visitors to discover the West Coast. Tourism really is on a strong growth curve and now is the perfect time to build on numbers with the West Coast well placed to capitalise on this, and present compelling reasons for New Zealanders to visit,“ says Mr Benton.

ENDS

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