DNC Industry Development Projects

Destination North Coast (DNC) works with visitor economy stakeholders to drive, coordinate, and support the sustainable management and development of tourism across the region. We focus on building industry capability, facilitating experience and product development and influencing decisions on important infrastructure and developments that will support the growth of the North Coast visitor economy.

To keep up to date on Projects that support growth of the North Coast visitor economy, subscribe to DNC’s industry e-newsletter.

Destination North Coast NSW recently partnered with Switch Hotel Solutions to run a series of workshops for accommodation owners and managers to build knowledge and capabilities with the aim of helping ensure maximum impact of overnight visitation to the region’s economy.

If you missed the workshop or want to revisit the information shared, please find a recording of the online Accommodation Revenue & Yield Management Workshop below. 

You can find the Take Home Information that was provided at the in-region workshops as another helpful tool.

Destination North Coast NSW is partnering with Australian Centre for Regional Events (previously rEVENTS Academy) to upskill the region’s event and festival organisers with the aim of ensuring event competitiveness and long-term sustainability throughout the region.

Find more information about this program.

Regional Tourism Bushfire Recovery Grant

• North Coast Flavour Trails Project

Recovery For Regional Tourism Grant

• Multiple Projects

North Coast Flavour Trails Project

Via a Grant provided under the Regional Tourism Bushfire Recovery (RTBR) Grants, Destination North Coast developed a ‘virtual’ North Coast Food & Beverage Trail platform. This initiative is providing a consumer centric, dynamic packaging tool that will increase exposure of food, beverage and agri-tourism products and the consumer’s ability to identify and visit such product.

The North Coast Flavour Trails platform project went live in November 2021 but remains active with perpetual hosting on – www.visitnsw.com. The overall user-experience and engagement of consumers with the platform will largely depend on the variety of food and beverage experiences and the quality of individual ATDW/Get Connected available to populate the map. Operators looking to get involved with this exciting distribution platform, should ensure they have an active ATDW listing and review, update and amplify it to the maximum extent allowed.

If you missed the North Coast Flavour Trails Project launch to industry webinars, you could review a recording here which includes a demonstration of the mapping platform.

Alternatively, watch the mapping platform video demonstration below.

The Australian Government’s Recovery for Regional Tourism Grant supported North Coast projects aimed at creating and retaining jobs directly and indirectly related to tourism in the region and to drive interstate tourism. These projects were completed by November 2022 in line with the funding agreement.

Digital Refresh Grant Program

The Digital Refresh Grant Program offered financial support to tourism businesses on the North Coast to either refresh an existing website or build a new one.

The program supported businesses to:

• Improve digital capabilities
• Improve online visibility and reach more potential customers
• Deliver an easy and seamless online booking process
• Access the latest digital technologies to increase productivity and competitiveness

Applications for this project have now closed

North Coast Commercial Accommodation Prospectus

Funding was allocated to deliver the North Coast Commercial Accommodation Prospectus and subsequent stakeholder engagement and mentoring. This project complements previously developed Future Demand and Accommodation Research and is aimed at finding investment-ready opportunities and supporting industry stakeholders to re-invest in their business or find suitable external investors to unlock potential opportunities.

Find more information and resources for investors and accommodation owners.

Northern Rivers Rail Trail Product & Experience Development Project

The Northern Rivers Rail Trail is a 132km recreational trail that follows the disused Casino to Murwillumbah railway corridor. It will follow the existing rail line providing visitors the opportunity to walk, cycle or ride and enjoy the scenery of the Northern Rivers. The initial stages of the trail opened to visitors in 2022/2023 in the Tweed and the Richmond Valley Council section will open in early 2024.

The Northern Rivers Rail Trail Product & Experience Development Project aimed to support businesses by accelerating business growth and development through an innovative and outcomes focused program that builds the knowledge and skills of Northern Rivers tourism businesses.

Business Accelerator & Mentoring Program

The Program was designed to support individual tourism businesses through dedicated one-on-one mentoring and flexible group learning options. Eligible businesses had a dedicated and experienced business mentor to support them every step of the way.

Find Tools and Resources that were developed as part of the Business Accelerator & Mentoring Program

North Coast Business Events Reboot Incentive Fund

Funding was allocated to support securement of additional new Business Events and Conferences to the North Coast and for the team to run a Business Events buyer familiarisation program and two roadshows into our key markets.

This Project is closed.