The NSW Government is backing the Blue Mountains and Central West with a co-ordinated marketing campaign and targeted funding to support visitation to the regions over the Easter long weekend and beyond.

With a detour in place along the Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass, which may add around 25 minutes to travel times for drivers, the Minns Labor Government is taking action to reassure travellers that the Blue Mountains and Central West are open for business, assist tourism operators and maintain strong visitor flows during a critical holiday period.

Blue Mountains City Council, Lithgow City Council and Bathurst Regional Council will each receive $15,000 in funding to strengthen their visitor economies with local activations and promotional activities.

Destination NSW has also launched targeted marketing activity on its Visit NSW and Visit Sydney channels ahead of the Easter long weekend to encourage visitation to the Blue Mountains and Central West. The activity will reach audiences across Instagram and Facebook, with Visit NSW connecting to more than 645,000 Instagram followers and 1.4 million Facebook followers and Visit Sydney engaging 1.4 million Instagram followers and 2.7 million Facebook followers.

Travellers to all corners of NSW are encouraged to plan ahead for the Easter long weekend and school holidays, check local conditions and download FuelCheck for their journey, particularly when travelling longer distances or through regional areas.

Additional train and free coach services have been introduced to support travel between Sydney and the Central West. The extra services complement the existing booked services offered by NSW TrainLink, which includes trains running to Dubbo and Broken Hill and coaches, connecting to destinations including Mudgee, Cowra, Grenfell and Forbes.

Travellers from the North are encouraged to use the Golden Highway, while those travelling from Sydney’s South-West and Canberra can access the region via the Hume Highway. Motorists should allow extra travel time and plan ahead.

For all the latest information, please visit: Transport for New South Wales

Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said:

“The Blue Mountains and Central West are spectacular autumn destinations and remain open for business with so much on offer for visitors for the Easter period and beyond. To support this, the Minns Labor Government is empowering local councils with the support they need to promote these regions.

“Local councils have a unique perspective on the challenges and needs of local businesses and visitors and this funding will contribute to local efforts to drive visitation and support their visitor economies.

“The NSW Government is also encouraging holidaymakers to plan ahead, check local conditions and download the FuelCheck app to ensure they make the most of the Easter break.”

Minister for Small Business, Janelle Saffin said:

“While there is a detour in place at Victoria Pass, the spectacular autumn experiences in the Blue Mountains and Central West are well worth the trip. Our small business owners have been working hard to prepare for the Easter break, and this investment helps them show visitors they are still open for business.

“By backing our local councils, we are helping them showcase the best of their regions. We want every traveller to know these communities are still providing the world-class service and local products they are famous for.”