THE Southern Highlands was not included among the state's tourist destinations in a recent extensive report commissioned by the NSW Government.
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The Visitor Economy Action Plan 2012 was handed down on June 14, providing recommendations on how to double overnight visitor spending in NSW visitor destinations by 2020, based on consumer research.
Sixteen NSW tourism regions were referenced in the 191-page report, however, the Southern Highlands was not included.
Southern Highlands tourism manager Steve Rosa said the omission was a blow considering the work that was put into promoting tourism in the region recently.
Mr Rosa said he attended a forum in Kiama in October last year with a group of Highlands tourism operators to provide feedback for the report.
He was pursuing the matter with Destination NSW CEO Sandra Chipchase, a member of the Visitor Economy Taskforce, which compiled the document.
"I'm pretty taken back that we've been left out," Mr Rosa said. "Was it an error?"
Mr Rosa said it was difficult to understand why the Highlands was not included in the report, especially considering the region's tourism history, which stretched back to the late 1800s.
"Because we're not listed there doesn't mean we will be left out of things, but it would have been nice to be included in this consumer research," he said.
Ms Chipchase said the omission was no mistake, however, it was not a "slight against the Southern Highlands".
She said 12 regions were originally planned for inclusion, a number extended to 16, but she could not say which four regions were added.
"It was never intended to cover every destination in the state," she said. "We can't have 300 towns surveyed; we simply don't have the money."
Ms Chipchase said the omission was not an indication that the Highlands was an unimportant tourist destination.
She said Cootamundra, with its "burgeoning wine industry", was a comparable omission.
"It's not meant to be a beauty parade," she said.
The report has not yet been endorsed by the NSW Government and a response will be prepared in the coming months, with an action plan to follow.
"Then we can sit down with tourism operators in the Southern Highlands," Ms Chipchase said.
Goulburn MP Pru Goward said she was surprised the Highlands was not included in the independent report.
Ms Goward said she would work with tourism industry operators and leaders to ensure the region was properly recognised and supported.
"I was pleased to learn today from the Tourism Minister that the NSW Government's response to this independent report, including an Industry Action Plan, will include the Highlands' rich tourism offerings, as it should," she said.
Destinations referenced in the report included Sydney, Blue Mountains, Byron Bay/Tweed Heads, Snowy Mountains, Coffs Harbour, Hunter/Newcastle/Port Stephens, Riverina, Outback NSW, Dubbo, Armidale/Tamworth, Batemans Bay/Narooma, Orange/Bathurst/Mudgee, Wollongong/Kiama, Port Macquarie/Great Lakes, Shoalhaven/Jervis Bay, and Gosford/Wyong.
Editorial HERE