THE BUGLE’S VIEW

They say all publicity is good publicity, but right now, Kiama is blessed with bloody great publicity.

And it’s all about people wanting to come here from somewhere else.

A couple of months after The Australian crowned us as Australia’s most liveable town, The Sydney Morning Herald has got in on the act, labelling us “a stunning place to visit”.

Last week, the Herald’s Traveller sung Kiama’s praise as the perfect place for a family-friendly weekend getaway: cil what most of them were coming to see. two fence panels.”

Unsurprisingly, the blowhole is the most popular spot for visitors, attracting more than a million people a year.

The second most popular spot is the beach while, over on kiama.com.au, the top two search terms are “Kiama Coast Walk” and “Markets”.

It’s The Bugle’s view that the more people visit Kiama, the better. We should do everything we can to encourage people to come for a weekend.

Bombo Headland is already a destination because of its spectacular scenery and global geological significance, and the staircase is expected to make it a must do section of the Kiama Coast Walk. A decision is yet to be made on its name.

Paid parking no quick fix

Any decision on paid parking in Kiama may be years away, says Mayor Neil Reilly.

The Mayor told the May Kiama Central Precinct (KCP) Meeting that, while Council has now resolved to form a working group to evaluate paid parking for visitors, the process of review, including reporting to the council, public exhibition and potential implementation, would take months if not years.

He also said that it took Wollongong Council up to eight years to see a return on its paid parking investment.

Councillor Matt Brown, who proposed the review into paid parking at the May Council Meeting, says ratepayers are subsidising the costs incurred by day-trip- pers, including waste management, park maintenance and toilet upkeep.

He says that introducing paid parking for visitors is both equitable and fair, and other destinations had implemented it without affecting visitor numbers.

An earlier report noted any review of paid parking will require an examination and update of the Draft Kiama Traffic and Parking study.

The review would exclude Akuna Street parking, include Blowhole Point, and conduct a new parking analysis, including Gerringong.

Mayor Reilly says it will consider any and all benefits to the community – residents and businesses.

The review would need to include research models used by other coastal towns; necessary conditions to ensure compliance with Transport for NSW guidelines; and the expenditure required.

These costs would include procurement consultation, capital equipment, infrastructure development, software, and ongoing maintenance.

There are also major issues to consider, such as the recipient of proceeds generated on Crown Land.

While the Destination Kiama Tourism Advisory Committee has given their support to the concept, a member survey by the Business Chamber showed 45 per cent for and 55 per cent against.

by Tracey Henderson

“The range of accommodation… the vibrant community feel… the astonishing natural beauty that surrounds it all and all the activities makes possible.”

On top of that, they singled out a smorgasbord of great places to eat, name-dropping Olive & Vine, Silica, Miss Arda, JJ’s, El Corazon Cocina de Mexico and Hanoi on Manning.

It’s nothing locals don’t already know, but it’s exciting to see in newsprint, nonetheless.

It also points to an important truth: tourism is the lifeblood of Kiama’s economy.

According to Tourism Australia, travelers bring in $244 million to local coffers every year.

And the number of people coming here is on the up –average annual visitor growth was 4.3 per cent between 2013 and 2019.

We asked the Kiama Coun-

But one thing we ought to have a conversation about is making sure people who spend time here spend money here too.

According to the Council, the average spend for domestic tourists who come for the day is $95.

We should be aiming to double the daily spend.

We don’t just want to see Sydneysiders drive down to look at the Blowhole, we want them to ride around town on a rented e-bike from Kiama Cycles & Sports, grab fish and chips for lunch from Jaws and browse the offerings at Bombo Clothing Co.

The Bugle thinks this should be the goal of all tourism advertising: don’t just come for something, come for everything.

We look forward to putting this to the Member for Kiama, Gareth Ward, when we interview him shortly.

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