Between now and the end of the year, Parramatta Council will have its Tourism Advisory Committee underway, calling for expressions of interest from people interested in guiding an updated strategy to attract tourists other than visitors to specific events.
The committee aims to have representation from a range of key tourism industry sectors such as accommodation, arts and culture, attractions, education, food and beverage, government, industry associations, nature and parks, retail, sport, tours and transport.
While Parramatta is becoming renowned for its variety of special events, it has been criticised for not promoting its colonial heritage enough.
Lord Mayor Scott Lloyd, in an earlier interview with WSBA, conceded that and said council was working on updating its visitor, or tourist, strategy.
Now that process is underway - aimed at the diverse attractions of Parramatta such as fine dining, shopping, Parramatta Park and Lake Parramatta as well as some of the oldest intact colonial buildings in Australia, including the World Heritage-listed Old Government House.
First step, between now and December, is council facilitating workshops for businesses that will be delivered by external tourism industry experts to assist local businesses with tourism capacity-building advice.
In the meantime, council has announced the popular multicultural festival Parramasala will return to Parramatta for a sixth year after a funding agreement was reached with the NSW Government.
Parramatta Council will provide funding of $200,000, which is in addition to a $400,000 commitment from the State Government and corporate sponsorship in excess of $100,000.
Parramasala 2015 will feature as a signature event for the launch of Indian Tourism Week in NSW under the banner of Incredible India.
Council spends about $3 million per year hosting nine major events, two major partnered events and between eight to 10 smaller partnered events.
The events attract about 250,000 to 300,000 people each year.
Events for all:
* New Year’s Eve.
* Sydney Festival Parramatta Opening Party.
* Australia Day.
* Lunar New Year.
* Parramatta Winterlight.
* Burramatta Family Day NAIDOC.
* Parramatta Lanes.
* Parramasala Festival.
* Parramatta Foundations Festival.
* Loy Krathong.
* Christmas in Parramatta.
