Tourism

This winter, Port Macquarie Hastings is being showcased to travellers across New South Wales through our Where Time Does Wonders destination marketing campaign.

Running from June to August, the campaign promotes the region as the perfect place to slow down, reconnect and make the most of time well spent. It targets visitors from Greater Western Sydney and the Hunter region who are looking for meaningful, restorative and easy-to-access travel experiences.

The campaign is being delivered through a mix of digital and traditional advertising, including social media, Google, YouTube, billboards and cinema, helping to put Port Macquarie Hastings in front of potential visitors as they plan their next getaway. Supporting the campaign is a growing collection of inspiring destination content, designed to showcase the experiences, landscapes and local businesses that make our region unique.

Local tourism operators are also being encouraged to take part and maximise their visibility during the campaign. Previous destination campaigns generated more than 17,000 referrals to local tourism business websites, highlighting the value of a coordinated approach to destination marketing.

The campaign supports Council's ongoing commitment to strengthening the Greater Port Macquarie brand, growing visitation and supporting the local visitor economy.

For further information, or to get involved, please contact the PMHC Economic Development Team -  economic@pmhc.nsw.gov.au.

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This document outlines a marketing strategy and supporting short-term action plan aimed at positioning PMHC as a premier regional visitor destination. The plan is designed to increase the desirability of the region as a travel destination and encourage visitors to spend more and stay longer in the region. Combining this short-term strategy with our long-term Economic Development Strategy will enable us to maintain the relevance needed to achieve and sustain a competitive advantage in the tourism industry.

The plan includes an updated analysis of the current tourism landscape, including key travel and tourism trends, brand positioning, target markets, and competitor and SWOT analyses. It also outlines our approach to marketing and tourism development and concludes with our strategic action plan and KPIs for marketing and facilitating the sustainable development of tourism in the region.

This plan was finalised in July 2026 and will be reported on annually against the established KPIs and performance measures, with the first annual report scheduled for July 2027.

Destination Marketing Plan

Destination Marketing Action Plan & Tracking

We encourage local businesses to add their listing on the Greater Port Macquarie website, which is seen by over 30,000 people each month. This listing feeds through from the Australian Tourism Data Website (ATDW) platform to process your registration, meaning your business is searchable in a local database, but also nationwide.

Make sure you have some images and a business blurb ready then register and list your business on ATDW, which will then feed into the Greater Port Macquarie website automatically.

Are you a data hound? Want to connect with other small tourism operators and have access to free skill-building courses and mentoring? Check out the below resources:

• Destination NSW has an extensive range of business development resources and statistics available to assist tourism operators and related businesses. View the Destination NSW
• Economic Profile of the Greater Port Macquarie Region is an invaluable resource for business people, investors, developers and the general public.
• Tourism Research Australia is Australia's leading provider of quality tourism intelligence across both international and domestic markets.
• Tourism Tribe is a website that has been created to help tourism operators who aren't digital experts make the most of the web for their business.

The Greater Port Macquarie Tourism Association (GPMTA) is a non-profit Association and is the peak industry body representing the interests of the tourism industry in the Greater Port Macquarie area, which includes Camden Haven and Wauchope. We work with this association and all stakeholders to achieve a sustainable increase in visitor numbers for Greater Port Macquarie. Vital to this is a strong and united tourism industry, which member participation greatly assists.

Council plays a key role in attracting and supporting both business and major events across the region in partnership with Destination NSW, Destination North Coast and local industry stakeholders.

Through the development of dedicated Business Events and Major Events Prospectuses, Council is actively positioning the Port Macquarie Hastings region as a destination for conferences, meetings, exhibitions, sporting events and community events that generate significant economic, social and destination awareness outcomes.

Working alongside its partners, Council supports the Business Events NSW Program by promoting the region as a competitive destination and assisting in converting business event enquiries into confirmed bookings.

Council works directly with event organisers to provide local expertise on venues, accommodation, transport, visitor experiences and event suppliers, helping organisers deliver successful events while encouraging longer visitor stays and greater regional dispersal.

Businesses interested in being featured in the Business Events or Major Events Prospectuses, or partnering on future event opportunities, are encouraged to contact Council's Economic Development and Tourism team.

Business-Events-Prospectus.pdf(PDF, 6MB)

Port Macquarie Hastings Council works with event owners and organisers to attract and grow events that bring new audiences to the region, encourage longer stays and create opportunities for local businesses. From established events seeking a regional destination to emerging events with growth potential, Council works with organisers to strengthen connections between the event and destination.

Major Events Prospectus(PDF, 7MB)