The Barrington Coast is the most visited destination on the NSW North Coast, according to a report by MidCoast Council.
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The report also found the destination brand is popular on social media, with audience numbers totalling more than 100,000 people as at December 1, 2020.
Statistics for 2019 show an annual visitation of 2.3 million people with eight per cent growth year on year, and a 16 per cent growth from the 2016 visitation.
The majority (98.7 per cent) was domestic (overnight plus day trip) travellers - the highest share of the domestic market on the Mid North Coast.
Visitors spent $629 million with eight per cent growth year on year, and 25 per cent growth from 2016 visitor spend.
Overnight stays totalled four million nights which is the second highest on the North Coast after Byron Bay.
Destination management co-ordinator Sharon Bultitude gave the report on the success of the brand to MidCoast Council, and it was subsequently accepted and noted at the December 16 meeting.
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The report covered strategic themes; the value of tourism to the region by way of tourist spend, employment and business; the digital strategy and how that has worked for attracting visitors to the area; as well as marketing collateral and campaigns.
It also spoke about the brand's website development.
The new destination website went live at the end of October 2020.
It focuses on the visitor and what makes researching their potential stay engaging and fun. It also enhances their stay by being a useful reference point and tool while they're here.
In January 2020, the Barrington Coast became the first regional NSW destination to be officially verified by Facebook and Instagram.
The name 'Barrington Coast' was endorsed by MidCoast Council on August 2018 and was inspired by an Aboriginal description of our region: "the place where the leaves touch the waters from the mountains to the sea".
It's an umbrella name that takes in the Manning Valley, Great Lakes and Gloucester.
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