The Newcastle Tourism Industry Group has welcomed the revelation there has been a 22% increase in the number of Australians holidaying in the Hunter Region.
Latest figures from the National Visitor Survey show the 7% higher growth in the Hunter over the past three years compared to the national average.
3.63 million domestic tourists visited the Hunter within the past year, with most staying for just two nights.
General Manager of the Newcastle Tourism Industry Group, Gus Maher said it's great news for the local economy.
"An increase like this has a direct effect on employment and economic stimulation.
"The cause of the increase of course is the marketing activity that bodies like ourselves, councils and individual companies are undertaking," Mr Maher said, "but the impact is substantial in terms of economic benefits."
He said Novocastrians would be surprised by the number of people wanting a slice of our sand and surf.
"Of course the wine region and Port Stephens [are major drawcards], but actually, increasingly, Newcastle is a hub for those tourists...it's the area benefiting most substantially from those increased Hunter figures."
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| Idyllic: More and more Australians are flocking to Newcastle's coastline. Image: NCC. |
