Tourism Bellinger President’s Report 2010

Tourism Bellinger President’s Report 2010 – Tuesday, 31 August 2010

TB Presidents Report 2010

Well 2009/2010 has been a fantastic year for Tourism Bellinger. We started the year and my term on the TB committee in some disarray but I’m pleased to say that with support from Bellingen Shire Council, my fellow executive members, WWC coordinators and WWC volunteers TB is now in good shape.

As you would now know from our financial report we finished the 2009/10 financial year with a profit of approximately $16,000 – a far cry from the virtually insolvent position we started the year in. My thanks to the whole team already mentioned of executive members, coordinators and volunteers as well as BSC.

We now have a full time Economic Development and Tourism Manager at council which of course is a big help and there has been much discussion and debate this last year about the creation of a new organization – “Tourism Coffs Coast” that would represent Bellingen, Coffs Harbour and Nambucca local government areas. The general response has been positive for this initiative from all 3 existing associations once any issue of concern had been clarified and explained. You can expect to have an opportunity to vote on this proposal in the not too distant future.

I am committed to keeping this report brief so let me just finish by saying the Waterfall Way Centre is humming along nicely under Rowan’s leadership and whilst it is currently a ‘joint venture’ of TB & BSC I hope that it will soon fall in line with most other LGA’s and become a wholly council run operation.

This will leave the tourism association with more opportunity to pursue the 2 main areas of concern for our members – marketing and lobbying (when necessary). I believe that a larger association with broader representation will have more “clout” in both these areas.

I wish the new executive well in the next year and trust things will continue in the positive direction they have for the past 12 months.

Guy Saddleton

President