AFFINITY has been named by Central Coast Council as the successful organisation to deliver tourism marketing and industry services for the Central Coast for the next two years.

Bringing together a consortium of three companies, AFFINITY’s expertise extends across international and domestic tourism marketing; data-driven strategies; partnerships; tourism research and insights; and facilitating membership and customer loyalty programs, as well as training and mentoring for the tourism industry.

Council Group Leader of Connected Communities, Ms Julie Vaughan, said she was confident Council had found the right group to lead the Coast’s tourism industry marketing forward.

“Tourism is a significant industry on the Central Coast employing over 12,500 people and generating over $900 million a year for the regional economy,” Ms Vaughan said.

“We want to assist local tourism operators and other businesses to capitalise on the NSW visitor growth opportunities and bring more visitor spending to the Central Coast. AFFINITY has demonstrated a solid strategy to do just that.”

The Central Coast team from AFFINITY, MyTravelResearch.com and Surfer Rosa Communications have experience ranging across The Legendary Pacific Coast Touring Route, Northern Territory Tourism, Destination NSW, Tourism Australia and Austrade and as Australia’s most awarded data-driven agency.  Their industry services coordinator is based on the Central Coast.

AFFINITY will commence services on 1 July 2017 with an immediate focus on a membership participation program, securing partners for a new marketing campaign and Destination New South Wales co-operative marketing funds. Their first action will be to make contact with the industry and sharing their program of work.

“Combined with Council’s increased tourism investment, a new Destination Network designed to attract more visitors to the region, a new Destination Management Plan and the advent of a new marketing approach to implement it – we are all confident we can head in the same direction to deliver more for our region,” said Ms Vaughan.

Council will work with Central Coast Tourism on a smooth transition as they finalise their contract with Council on 30 June 2017.