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A MESSAGE FROM DESTINATION NSW
NSW residents and businesses remain on ‘high alert’ to stop the spread of COVID-19, and Destination NSW Chief Executive Officer Steve Cox has called on the industry to show leadership in the community by putting safety first.
“We must continue to follow instructions and the latest health advice - it is the best possible chance we have of continuing to move forward, and rebuilding our industry and the visitor economy for NSW,” Mr Cox said.
“I strongly encourage all business owners to complete a COVID-safe business plan and register as COVID-safe on NSW.gov.au.
“This will provide you with a framework to ensure you, your staff and your customers are safe, and is a mark of confidence for visitors that our industry puts health and wellbeing first.”
Mr Cox said the pandemic required a new way of life, personally and in the way businesses operate.
“We cannot settle for complacency, or compromise on physical distancing, keeping contact registers, and hygiene and sanitation. This virus is insidious and we’ve seen how the impact of an outbreak is widespread,” he said.
“Let’s work together in solidarity and support each other to approach these new challenges. Encourage each other to do the right thing – and why not share intel and resources where possible.”
Destination NSW will continue to provide the latest information, tools and resources from the NSW Government via the weekly Insights newsletter. Please contact Destination NSW with any questions and refer to NSW.gov.au for health advice.
TOUGH NEW COVID-19 COMPLIANCE MEASURES FOR LICENSED VENUES
New rules limiting pubs to group bookings of 10 people and capping the number of customers inside a venue to 300 people have come into effect overnight, with the same measures to be enforced across clubs, cafes and restaurants from next Friday
The new compliance measures also require venues to appoint dedicated Hygiene Marshalls to patrol venues to keep customers safe.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said NSW was at a crucial stage of the pandemic.
“We want venues strictly implementing their COVID-Safe plans and customers abiding by the rules of the venue they are in,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“It is critical people remember when they are at a venue they remain seated. This reduces the risk of transmission.”
Under the new measures, designated venues across NSW are required to:
- Limit people per booking or table to 10 (reduced from 20)
- Cap venue capacity to 300 people at any one time
- Register as COVID-Safe through NSW.gov.au
- Appoint a dedicated COVID Safe Hygiene Marshall in distinctive clothing to oversee social distancing, cleaning and hygiene at the venue (different requirements based on venue size);
- Maintain a digital record of patron names and phone numbers
This applies to pubs from today, and will also apply to clubs, cafes and restaurants from next Friday 24 July.
Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello said these new rules will be enforced with random and covert inspections and there will be zero tolerance for non-compliance. Businesses found in breach of the public health orders could face a penalty of up to $55,000 and a further $27,500 penalty for each day an offence continues.
“These new measures strike the right balance in protecting the health and safety of the people of NSW and ensuring venues remain operational,” Mr Dominello said.
Read the latest updates to restrictions on NSW.gov.au.
REGISTER NOW FOR ONLINE TOURISM INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Tourism businesses can now register for a series of free online industry events to hear expert advice about the domestic market, how to sell bookable products online and how to work with different distribution partners.
The events, which include webinars and digital training, are hosted by Destination NSW and are free for businesses to participate.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the initiative would support tourism businesses bounce back after a challenging period.
“These events will provide real, tactical advice and information for tourism operators to apply to their own businesses, helping them to drive bookings and reach new customers which is critical as a result of COVID-19,” Minister Ayres said.
“The NSW and Commonwealth Governments have provided economic support to many NSW businesses to relieve pressure during this crisis - this free, expert advice is invaluable and will help operators grow their businesses in new, sustainable ways.”
The two series of online events - Restart Series and Discuss and Develop Your Business - are part of Destination NSW’s industry development program, NSW First, and focus on tips to help operators return to market. The first session will be held on 22 July.
Destination NSW’s NSW First Program assists tourism businesses to develop, promote and sell tourism products and experiences. The program provides industry events, downloadable resources for businesses and direct product development support and mentoring for operators.
Upcoming events include:
- 22 July - Restart Series: The domestic market
- 23 July - Discuss and Develop Your Business: Leverage the Love NSW campaign with TripAdvisor and Viator
- 28 July - Restart Series: Sell bookable products online
- 4 August - Discuss and Develop Your Business: Commissions and the travel distribution system
- 12 August - Discuss and Develop Your Business: Creating effective trade fact sheets
- 26 August - Discuss and Develop Your Business: Working with your accredited Visitor Information Centre
NSW CARAVAN AND CAMPING INDUSTRY LAUNCHES NEW CONSUMER CAMPAIGN
Caravan & Camping Industry Association (CCIA) NSW has launched a new consumer campaign to showcase the caravan and camping spots and inviting cabins welcoming visitors right across regional NSW.
CCIA NSW has partnered with Destination NSW for the Love NSW Caravan & Camping campaign which will run for 12 weeks across TV, digital and social networks, linking back to a fully searchable and bookable website.
“There are a raft of experiences waiting to be had across NSW and our holiday parks are fantastic, affordable, accessible and safe places to spend a few nights or a few weeks,” CCIA NSW CEO Lyndel Gray said.
“Caravan and camping holidays have always been a strong favorite for people looking to holiday in their home state and overwhelmingly these holidays have been in regional areas of NSW.”
Caravan and camping holidays showed significant growth in the year to March 2020 with a 9.2% increase on trips.
“We were fast off the blocks when the travel restrictions were lifted in early June, and with our social media campaign helping to spur on visitors to NSW holiday parks, we saw occupancy levels higher than the same month last year, proving just how much people love to caravan and camp," Ms Gray said.
NSW Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said Love NSW Caravan & Camping will remind travellers about the simple pleasures of the great outdoors and the joy of being on the open road.
“The most viewed pages on VisitNSW.com in recent months have been drives and road trips, and caravan and camping - so we know this is what holiday makers are looking for and we expect regional communities will see an influx of visitors embracing that feeling of freedom in the coming months.”
Ms Gray said the industry was looking forward to welcoming back visitors from across the state, along with new visitors to the caravan and camping experience.
“In another promising sign for the industry, we are seeing more people looking to buy their own recreational vehicle as they look to take more holidays at home in the future,” Ms Gray said.
The new website also links to RV retailers and rental businesses, repairers and information about caravan or camping.
LOVE NSW PARTNER CAMPAIGNS KEEP BOOKINGS COMING FOR OPERATORS
Destination NSW’s Tourism Recovery campaign, Love NSW, continues to reach new and engaged audiences thanks to a range of partnership activities currently in market.
The campaigns promote Sydney and NSW regions across various advertising platforms including print, digital display (website), custom web content on partner’s own site, EDMs to members, social media, radio and on-site branding.
Destination NSW’s domestic partnerships team has been working closely with key industry organisations to produce campaigns that inspire and stimulate bookings, encourage visitors explore Sydney and disperse throughout regional NSW, and drive overnight visitation.
Campaigns in market now and in the coming months include:
- Accor - showcasing Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Newcastle, Coffs Harbour, Albury, Kingscliff, Wollongong, Southern Highlands
- Helloworld/Viva Holidays - statewide with a focus on Byron Bay, Sydney, Port Stephens, Orange, Broken Hill, Coffs Harbour, Newcastle, Hunter Valley, Mudgee, Blue Mountains, Batemans Bay, Merimbula
- TripAdvisor - statewide
- Stayz NSW Road Trip Pledge Campaign - statewide (under the banner of Stayz #RoadtripPledge campaign)
- Luxury Escapes - Sydney, Port Stephens, Batemans Bay, Southern Highlands, The Tweed, Central Coast
- Kayak - Sydney, Southern Highlands, Snowy Mountains, Blue Mountains, Hunter Valley, Mid North Coast (Port Stephens, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie)
- Wotif - Blue Mountains, South Coast, Coffs Harbour, Orange
Wotif’s integrated campaign includes a ‘trip discovery’ consumer quiz where users answer questions about their preferred holiday type and it suggests one of the campaign destinations to learn more about and to book.
Destination NSW engages partners right across the travel distribution network and continues to develop new content and campaigns to provide customers with a comprehensive range of NSW travel options and reach as many potential holidaymakers as possible.
VisitNSW.com is the central point for Destination NSW’s own campaign activity, combining the latest information from operators, distribution partners and industry stakeholders and provides leads to industry.
NEW DNSW TOOLKIT FOR TRAVEL TRADE
Destination NSW has released a new toolkit for travel trade to arm agents and partners with information and assets to promote NSW’s world-class tourism experiences. The Sydney and NSW Trade Toolkit includes on-demand trade training tools and resources detailing key NSW destinations and experiences. The materials include a suite of new destination vignette videos, export-ready product factsheets and the latest Product Update Newsletter. The toolkit is available to travel distributors in Australia and overseas at http://www.destinationnsw.com.au/tradetoolkit
DNSW PARTNERS WITH FFA FOR HYUNDAI A-LEAGUE 2019/20
Football Federation Australia (FFA) has announced Destination NSW as an Official Partner for the remainder of the Hyundai A-League 2019/20 Season. The partnership will amplify Destination NSW’s Love NSW tourism recovery campaign, encouraging people to stay and spend locally in Sydney and NSW. Campaign creative will be featured in LED and virtual signage at regular season matches and seen by viewers across Australia, and in over 72 countries via the Hyundai A-League’s international broadcast reach. Destination NSW messaging will also feature in social media campaigns, including through Hype Reels championing key fixtures. Hyundai A-League returns tonight: Sydney FC vs Wellington Phoenix at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, Kogarah, at 7:30pm.
FIVE NEW BUSINESS CONNECT ADVISORS FOR CREATIVE SECTOR
The creative sector will benefit from five new Business Connect advisors providing free-of-charge advice to small businesses affected by COVID-19. Minister for Finance and Small Business Damien Tudehope said: “In total, there are now 10 Business Connect advisors with creative backgrounds and they have the skills to help small businesses in that industry to navigate the current situation. The advisors can also provide information about government support options for the NSW arts and cultural sector.” All guidance provided by Business Connect advisors is currently free of charge and the program has already benefited 6700 small businesses. In total, Business Connect has more than 110 business advisors. Register online, or phone 1300 134 359.
