Driving the agenda is the NSW Business Chamber, in connection with the former Tourism Industry Council, which has amalgamated with the chamber, and the Tourism and Transport Forum.
The western Sydney tourism strategy was kicked off in October with a round-table think-tank of councils, tourism operators and state government representatives, including deputy Premier and Tourism Minister Andrew Stoner and Minister Assisting the Premier on Western Sydney, Penrith MP Stuart Ayres.
The State Government will be delivering $500,000 over two years to develop a Western Sydney Tourism and Events Strategy, driven largely by the anticipated extra visitors to the west that will come from the planned Badgerys Creek airport.
Following the round-table, a larger event with tourism stakeholders was held on October 31 at ANZ Stadium at Homebush, sponsored by NRMA.
NSW Business Chamber tourism spokesman Dean Gorddard said it was vital the west was marketed better than at present.
“There is a gaping hole in promotion of Sydney’s west as there has been no industry body driving it,” Mr Gorddard told WSBA.
“Now we have this money from the government to start the dialogue with councils and tourism stakeholders across the west, to work out how to get people out to the region, what infrastructure is needed.”
Western Sydney director of the NSW Business Chamber David Borger said it was “about time” the western suburbs were properly promoted.
“”The west has been overlooked for too long and the region has so much to offer, with food, heritage, adventure and fun experiences on offer throughout the area,” Mr Borger said.
He said that for too long, the west had not received its fair share of government spending on building the visitor trade.
“We need to come up with a strategy to draw visitors to Sydney out of the city and into the west to see what we have to offer,” he said.
