Visitors spent a whopping $747m throughout the City of Coffs Harbour local government area in 2022, the latest Destination NSW figures have revealed.
"This is a fantastic result and a tribute to the wonderful local tourism operators and many other businesses who make a visit to the region so enjoyable – and guarantee people spread the word and keep coming back," said City of Coffs Harbour General Manager Natalia Cowley.
"The 'Value of Tourism to North Coast 2022' report also showed that – every day - tourism injected $2.1m into the local economy right here. This equates to 14 percent of all visitor expenditure on the North Coast.
"It's just 2 years since the Coffs Coast became NSW's first ever ECO Destination in recognition of the region's support for more sustainable outcomes for the planet.
"The Coffs Coast presents locals and visitors with a wealth of travel experiences in a stunning region including our unique, environmentally-conscious tourism offerings – and these figures show that we're well and truly on the national and global map."
And there is even more reason for celebration with the news that 12 Coffs Coast businesses are in the list of 51 finalists for the 2023 North Coast Tourism Awards.
A collaboration between Destination North Coast and Business NSW, the awards recognise growth, and entrepreneurship and celebrate tourism businesses' success across the Destination North Coast region which covers the Queensland border to Tea Gardens/Hawks Nest.
"Congratulations to all the amazing finalists," said Ms Cowley. "What's even more amazing and special is the close partnerships that have formed between these businesses and the City as we work together to strengthen the visitor experience across the Coffs Coast. During these holidays, I encourage everyone to show their own support by getting out and about to enjoy the paradise on our doorstep and our local businesses."
The 12 Coffs Coast finalists are:
- Coffs Coast Accommodation
- Coffs Harbour Butterfly House
- Coffs Harbour Trike and Private Tours
- Giingan Gumbaynggirr Cultural Experience
- Lindsay Russell - Broken Open Productions
- Lydia Crossingham - The Observatory Apartments
- Neil Manson - The Observatory Apartments
- Pacific Bay Resort, Coffs Harbour
- The Big Banana Fun Park
- The Observatory Apartments
- Wajaana Yaam Gumbaynggirr Stand Up Paddle Tours
- Woolgoolga Brewing Co
"The winners will be announced on 27 July in the Tweed, and we can't wait to see the Coffs Coast bring home the trophies!" she added.
Pictured above are participants in the latest Coffs Coast Champions event held at King Tide Brewery in Coffs Harbour. These events see the local tourism industry coming together to share information and news about each other's businesses, collaborate and support each other and the City to create a strong and engaged industry.
