SHOAL BAY will host about 180 tourism and local government representatives next week with their three-day visit worth more than $125,000 to the Port economy.
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The delegates will be here to take part in the Local Government NSW Tourism Conference which is being hosted in Port Stephens after the council beat Port Macquarie for the honour.
The council's visitor information and events co-ordinator Kim Latham said conferences posed an opportunity to promote the Port as a tourist destination not only to those in NSW but on a national and international level as well.
"The benefits can extend nationally and even to overseas depending on the reach and scope of the individual conference itself," she said.
Ms Latham said while the exposure of the Port was priceless, the direct spend from delegates attending the conference would also help.
"The direct spend of conference delegates is expected to be somewhere in the vicinity of $125,000 over the three days, without taking into account costs negotiated directly between the venue and the LGSA (Local Government and Shires Association)," she said.
But while Port Stephens Council would like to see more conferences such as these hosted in the Port, Ms Latham said there were some obstacles in attracting such events.
"The hurdle we face as a destination is that we have ample accommodation and attractions to satisfy this market but we have no one big provider when it comes to dedicated conference facilities," she said.
"Our larger accommodation providers can cater for small to mid-size events. However we do not have the product to cater for larger capacity conferences at this point in time."
The conference will take place from Monday, March 11, until Wednesday, March 13, with attendees expected to embark on adventures such as a Moonshadow cruise and a trip to the Worimi Conservation Lands.
