NSW Opposition Leader Peter Debnam and Shadow Minister for Tourism and Major Events Katrina Hodgkinson today announced a NSW Liberal/Nationals Government will strengthen the NSW economy through a boost to tourism and major events. 

"Sydney boasts the world's most beautiful harbour, a vibrant culture, and regional NSW is home to renowned destinations such as Byron Bay, the Snowy Mountains and Broken Hill, " Mr Debnam said.  

"But for too long we've rested on our laurels. Sydney holds the unwanted record of being the only city to experience a loss of tourism market share after hosting an Olympic Games," he said.

"I want to get NSW back in front again. I will do this by:  

A new Tourism NSW to recapture it from the bureaucracy, align it with the needs of tourism operators, and make it more effective in bringing tourists to NSW. This overhaul will include an additional $80m in funding to support the tourism industry in NSW.

A focus on Major Events to boost the NSW economy and make NSW Australia’s leading major events state, including an additional $80m in funding for the development and promotion of four new major annual home grown tourist events including two in Greater Sydney, one in country NSW and one in coastal NSW. We will also secure at least four major one-off tourist events in our first term of Government.

"The new Tourism NSW will include the development of a Joint Public/Private Sector Marketing Strategy to ensure government and the private sector work together to promote tourism in NSW.

"I will develop a Tourism Industry Emergency Plan to assist local tourism operators recover from natural disasters and other disturbances which adversely affect tourism.  

"I will also improve tourist signage in rural and regional NSW and establish Tourism NSW Liaison Offices in regional towns.

"A NSW Liberal/Nationals Government will also get NSW back in front on major events.  

"We will create a new major events company with a clear mandate to win major tourist events from other Australian and international cities.

"Additional funding will be provided for the development and promotion of four new major annual home grown tourist events including two in Greater Sydney, one in country NSW and one in coastal NSW," he said. 

Ms Hodgkinson said this tourism package is in addition to the Memorandum of Understanding the NSW Liberal/Nationals signed with dive tourism operators to boost regional tourism through the creation of a line of dive wrecks along the NSW coast.

"Tourism forms a vital part of the NSW economy creating jobs and business opportunities for nearly 250,000 people, but it's suffering from a Labor Government, which has no plans and severe budget cuts.  

"In 1995, the Labor Government inherited the greatest tourist opportunity in the state's history – the Sydney Olympics – yet in return Labor has left NSW with the embarrassing record of being the only city to suffer a loss of tourism market share following an Olympic Games.

"Labor’s mismanagement of tourism began with Labor's decision to disband Tourism NSW as an independent statutory authority and make it another part of a Government Department.  

"As a result it has become an organisation held hostage to bureaucratic red tape, unsure of its purpose and without clear direction. Staff retention is poor and the morale low.

"We need to get NSW back in front again," Ms Hodgkinson said.