2015 a record breaking year for tourism on the NSW Central Coast

The value of the visitor economy on the NSW Central Coast surpassed $900 million in 2015 according to the latest figures released by Tourism Research Australia.

The figures, which represent a 25% year on year growth of the region’s visitor economy, have been welcomed by Central Coast Tourism Board Chairman, Sam Panetta.

Commenting on the far reaching benefits of tourism to the region, Panetta explains “the figures compiled relate to direct spend, however other sectors of the economy indirectly reap the rewards of a robust tourism sector including retail, transport, and education.

“Tourism is one of the top five industry sectors on the Coast and for every $72,000 increase in the visitor economy, an equivalent full-time job is created.”

The three main visitor sectors for the region are domestic and international overnight visitors and domestic day trippers, with 1.3 million domestic overnight visitors the highest yielding sector - injecting $567 million in to the local economy, staying an average of three nights.

Numerically, domestic day trippers are the largest visitor sector at 3.5 million visits (contributing $298 million in the local economy), an impressive 17% increase.

The international sector, while smallest in visitor numbers at 45,000, are the longest staying visitors, averaging 20 nights, with the value of this visitor sector growing by a staggering 58% over the last year, contributing $52 million.

Summing up the region’s improved performance, Central Coast Tourism’s Chief Executive Officer Robyne Abernethy concluded “a number of factors, including marketing, industry collaboration, new product and the Australian dollar, have combined to deliver these impressive results.”

Abernethy predicts that Central Coast local visitor economy is on track to reach a key milestone, $1 billion in value by 2020.

Images: TreeTop Adventure Park (top) and an aerial view of Gosford showing the Central Coast Stadium (below).

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