Kiama MP Gareth Ward said that the ‘Export Ready 101’ workshop, which is part of the NSW First Program, will be delivered by the state’s tourism and major events agency Destination NSW.

He said it would provide tourism operators with product development advice and industry resources to help grow their businesses and drive the South Coast tourism industry.

“As the cruise industry continues to grow with regional ports such as Eden and Port Kembla, the South Coast is perfectly placed to capitalise on international visitors,” he said.

“The upcoming workshop will educate the local tourism industry on targeting visitors from overseas markets and in turn, boost our overnight visitor economy.

“I encourage tourism operators to book a place at the upcoming workshop soon so they don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity.

“Our beautiful region has so much on offer and we must ensure that local businesses provide the very best products and experiences to visitors to maintain a competitive edge.”

According to reports, in the year ended June 2016, the South Coast welcomed more than 10.7 million international, domestic overnight and day trip visitors who spent more than $2.2 billion in the region. 

NSW Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events Stuart Ayres said following the success of last year’s program, more workshops have been offered this year.

“Through Destination NSW, we are delivering 30 workshops in 21 locations around NSW this year, in addition to six new digital webinars,” he said.

The Export Ready 101 workshop will be held on Thursday, November 17 at The Pavilion, Kiama.

To learn more about the program and to register, visit www.destinationnsw.com.au/workshops.