By Andy Young
The Hunter Valley region will be given $1 million for a new marketing campaign, aimed at letting tourists know that the area is open for business.
The New South Wales government will confirm the funding in an announcement today, in response to requests for help for many people invested in the Hunter region.
Tourism Hunter chairman Will Creedon told the ABC that NSW's Tourism Minister, Stuart Ayres, had responded quickly to pleas for assistance.
"Our operators, through the local tourism associations, and councils, coming together through Tourism Hunter, and the University of Newcastle quantifying (the economic loss) first," Creedon said.
"Being able to present the data to government and government listening, and acting.
"This collaboration of us all united, and actually speaking as one, [is why] we've had such success."
The Hunter Valley was hit by torrential rain, flooding and high winds as heavy storms battered the region in late May. TheShout reported earlier in May that the Hunter Valley Wine & Tourism Association said that no vineyards had been damaged in the storms and that it was "business as usual" for the wine region.
Mr Creedon added that the government money would be used in a marketing campaign aimed at bringing tourists back to the Hunter.
"We'll be spending $1 million on a tactical advertising campaign, and a promotional campaign directed at key markets, including Sydney and others, to entice them back to our region," Creedon said.
"To let them know we are here, and we are open, and we are asking them to visit.
"We'll be presenting our provedores, our restaurants, our bars, our hotels, our attractions."
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