Tourism Australia managing director Phillipa Harrison has thrown her support behind the #vaxtheillawarra campaign.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
On the eve of her involvement in an important World Tourism Day webinar hosted by Destination Wollongong on Monday afternoon, Ms Harrison said the community getting vaccinated was the way tourism and hospitality businesses in the Illawarra will be able to get their lives and livelihoods back.
"These businesses are the lifeblood of the community and after a really tough couple of years you can help them get back on their feet by getting vaccinated," she said.
"And guess what? It will mean you also get back to doing what you love too."
On Monday Ms Harrison will provide an insight into plans to get Australian tourism back in business after lockdowns. And will join in a panel discussion with Wollongong 2022 chief executive Stu Taggart, live from Belgium where he is attending the UCI World Road Championships in Flanders.
Australian sports and events executive Geoff Parmenter will also be on the panel.
Mr Parmenter has been helping develop Wollongong's UCI Bike City Strategy and was on the organising committee for the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the bid team for Brisbane 2032.
These businesses are the lifeblood of the community and after a really tough couple of years you can help them get back on their feet
- Phillipa Harrison
Destination Wollongong general manager Mark Sleigh said it was fantastic for enterprises operating in the local tourism economy to have direct access to the Tourism Australia boss.
"So many of our tourism and hospitality businesses have done it so tough over the last 18 months," he said.
Mr Sleigh said it was also wonderful to see the community's positive response to #vaxtheillawarra.
"Now is our opportunity to get vaccinated and help get them back to business. We've all missed our families but as we head towards Christmas this is our best chance to be able to spend it with them. Please make an appointment if you haven't already."
Read more:
The Illawarra Mercury news app is now officially live on both iOS and Android devices. It is available for download in the Apple Store and Google Play.