The Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson AM MP, and the Member for Parramatta, Julie Owens MP, today launched the Parramatta Tourism Development Strategy; fulfilling a commitment made by the Government in the 2008 Budget to enhance Parramatta's appeal as an historic, multicultural precinct.
The Strategy will investigate, design, and produce tourism attractions, increase the diversity and quality of the visitor experience, connect key sites across Parramatta, and contribute to Parramatta's role as a visitor hub.
Minister Ferguson said: "I am proud to be able to allocate $500,000 to develop a tourism plan for Parramatta. Regions such as Parramatta have grown considerably through urban development and have recently become more popular as business centres, highlighting their transport accessibility and family-friendly amenities. There's no reason, therefore, that tourism cannot be added to the business base of the region."
Ms Owens said: "With the support of the Australian Government, Parramatta will now have the resources to develop a strategy to make the most of its tourism potential.
"Parramatta has a lot to offer visitors - a rich Indigenous and colonial past, great sporting facilities, a thriving arts community and great shopping opportunities. The challenge for Parramatta is to use these attributes to expand its tourism market. As the gateway to western NSW, I have no doubt that we will be able to increase our tourism yield with the direction provided by the Strategy."
The Australian Government contribution will fund:
- Market research
- Development of a prospectus to encourage enterprises to set-up in Parramatta
- Design and implementation of themed trails
- Development of branding and marketing plans, and
- Delivery of a digital media product.
The project is expected to be completed by June 2010.