The NSW government will devise a combined transport and tourism strategy
The tourism and transport industry has backed the New South Wales government plan to devise a combined tourism and transport strategy.
The Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) chief executive Margy Osmond says TFF proposed the idea as part of its transport agenda for Sydney last month.
“This is another common sense announcement from the Baird government that properly recognises the value of tourism to our economy,” she said.
“TTF have long argued that a plan like this has the potential to transform the visitor experience of Sydney and New South Wales, encouraging visitors to stay longer, spend more, and visit regional destinations.”
She feels that the strong link between tourism and public transport has been ignored for too long.
“The tourism task of our public transport system is often underestimated, but it shouldn’t be,” Osmond says.
“Most visitors will use some sort of public transport service during their stay, be that an iconic Sydney ferry, the 333 bus to Bondi, the Airport Rail Link or the City Circle.
“A public transport network that is legible, affordable and easy to use will contribute significantly to the overall experience of a visitor to Australia.”
Osmond believes that Australian cities need to be guided by larger international ones, which have got it right.
“If you think of other global cities where they do transport well – London, New York and Tokyo, for example – those well managed transport systems are considered selling points in their own right,” Osmond says.
“Improving public transport with the visitor economy in mind will also deliver a significant benefit to regional NSW. Such a plan would seek to make visiting regional destinations such as the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast and the Hunter Valley cheaper and easier.”
She encouraged the opposition to step up and really push for improvements to public transport.
“We are calling on NSW Labor, who have so far been very quiet on tourism, to join the government in committing to the development of a tourism and transport plan for NSW,” Osmond says.
TTF will be releasing its own comprehensive tourism and transport plan in April.