Over-55 tourists will be encouraged to come to Orange mid-week instead of going on overseas holidays during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Orange360 is seeking $100,000 from Orange City Council to launch a tourism campaign directed at the over-55s market.
The proposal will be debated by Orange City Council on Tuesday night. Staff have recommended council support the move and put the proposal on public exhibition for 28 days.
Many of them are now coming to Orange for the first time and like what they see.
- Orange360 report to Orange City Council
In a letter to council Orange360 general manager Caddie Marshall said tourism operators in the region had been hard hit by the coronavirus lockdown but had gained recently with an influx of visitors after travel restrictions were eased.
"Right now Orange is benefiting from borders being closed and we are welcoming the 55+ [tourists] who can travel mid-week and who would normally have travelled overseas," the request says.
"Many of them are now coming to Orange for the first time and like what they see. With the Queensland border open this will now change.
"We are seeking $100,000 to drive the value of our visitor economy by increasing visitor numbers and the level of activity they enjoy during their stay."
It said Cabonne and Blayney councils had already approved an extra $50,000 each for the $200,000 Road to Recovery campaign.
The request said the money would be spent on creating video and photographic content to be used in a marketing campaign which would be aimed at capital city residents.
Ms Marshall said a survey of tourism providers in the region found 69 per cent had cut staffing levels, 78 per cent were projecting significant losses of revenue, 24 per cent had closed temporarily while 4 per cent had closed for good.
She said Business NSW research had found 5622 jobs had been lost in the region, many in the tourism area.
The request said if Orange did not actively promote itself it would be left behind other regional areas which would launch marketing campaigns to attract tourists.
Ms Marshall said tourism boosted the Orange economy by more than $300 million a year.
She said it also employed about 6000 people throughout the region.
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