Tamworth tourism operators have mixed reaction after NSW government introduces new $50 vouchers to spend on accommodation

On Wednesday, the state government unveiled its new $500 million support package to revive the events and tourism industry, which includes new Stay and Rediscover vouchers, similar to the Dine and Discover initiative.

But with travel to regional NSW given the green light for November 1, some have questioned why the stimulus isn't ready to be rolled out by November.

Tamworth's Best Western Sanctuary Inn manager Evelyn Page said the support is "probably a little bit too late" but was good news nonetheless.

"It will be good, it will boost everyone's confidence and we need a boost monetary wise as well, we've been so terribly slow," she said.

"I think [the vouchers] should have probably been implemented on November 1.

"But I can see what they're doing, they're saying 'people want to go out straight away from November 1, so let them do that and the we're going to give them this extra in March'."

The $50 voucher can be redeemed at accommodation premises including hotels, caravan parks and camping grounds and the initiative will begin as a pilot this year before it kicks off across the state in March.

Ms Page admitted $50 wouldn't make all that much of a difference but people would appreciate it just like they did with the Dine and Discover initiative.

"Hopefully people will start moving around and we'll have some smiles on faces," she said.

"It's still very slow, we were hopeful [for regional travel to return] but with it knocked back to the 1st, a lot of our business is corporate, it does come out of Sydney.

"We've got a couple of regional people that do visits from Orange ... but the restaurant slowed down with all the COVID spots in Tamworth which we've never seen before here."

READ ALSO:

With the program also open to caravan parks, Tamworth's Austin Tourist Park manager Alison Edwards said she thinks it will be interesting to see which regions receive the most attention from tourists.

"I think there's a lot of people out there that would love to travel but whether or not that travel then means they are going to go to places like the coast or whether they're coming inland," she said.

She said bookings were "picking up" at the park ahead of the 50^th annual Tamworth Country Music Festival but are still slower than an ordinary year.

"We wouldn't normally be booked out around this time but we would certainly be busier than we are," she said.

Ms Edwards said she would be attending a meeting with the Caravan & Camping Industry Association NSW to discuss how the industry as a whole might deal with the changes and new stimulus.

Business NSW Regional Manager Joe Townsend described the new support measures as "a game changer that will turbo charge a post COVID economic recovery".

"Business NSW has been telling government since the start of the pandemic that different industries were being impacted in different ways, but the tourism, hospitality and events sector has been the hardest hit," he said.

"Shortly after AgQuip was cancelled, local businesses were part of an online roundtable with the premier, during which concerns regarding the security and confidence to plan significant events which contribute to all aspects of our economy.

"Business will be delighted with the Event Saver Fund which allows for immediate financial support for organisers of events that are disrupted or cancelled due to a Public Health Order this summer.

"This will allow confidence in investment and employment without a fear of being left footing a huge bill."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: