Coffs Harbour will have the opportunity to showcase its tourism offering to key industry leaders after securing the rights to host a major state tourism conference.
The 2027 Local Government NSW (LGNSW) Destination and Visitor Economy Conference will be held in Coffs Harbour in May 2027.
The announcement was made at this year’s conference in Maitland, with Coffs Harbour revealed as the next host city.
More than 200 delegates, including mayors, councillors and council staff involved in tourism development, are expected to attend.
“We anticipate there’ll be a long-tail to staging this event as we welcome key stakeholders and show them first-hand what we have to offer,” City of Coffs Harbour Mayor Nikki Williams said.
“The conference itself will have an immediate beneficial impact for our economy, and the halo effect will be positive for our tourism industry and associated businesses into the future.”
The conference is also the venue for the annual announcement of the NSW Top Tourism Town Awards, for which Coffs Harbour was a finalist in 2026. The event typically attracts significant media attention to the host destination.
As part of the conference program, delegates will be invited to take part in three familiarisation tours highlighting the region’s visitor experiences and environmental credentials. Coffs Harbour was the first destination in NSW to receive ECO Destination accreditation.
The tours will include:
- Visits to the Jetty, Marina, Solitary Islands Marine Park and Muttonbird Island.
- Cultural experiences at Yarrila Arts and Museum (YAM) and along the Coffs City Centre street art trails using the award-winning Coffs Coast Explorer App.
- A paddling experience on Coffs Creek, finishing at the North Coast Regional Botanic Garden.
Each activity will also feature opportunities to engage with local businesses and sample regional food and produce.
“LGNSW will work with us to put together a special program to showcase our region’s unique visitor experiences,” City Economic Development and Tourism Section Leader Nicole McLennan said.
“While hosting this conference in 2027 will have all eyes on the Coffs Coast, we have two major events on the near horizon in the North Coast Tourism Awards and the Australian Event Awards.”
Before hosting the LGNSW conference, Coffs Harbour will welcome two significant industry events in 2026.
The North Coast Tourism Symposium and Regional Tourism Awards will be held across three venues from 29–30 July, bringing together tourism operators from across the region.
The program will begin with a welcome event at the Big Banana Fun Park on 29 July, followed by a full-day symposium at Aanuka Beach House and the North Coast Regional Tourism Awards gala dinner at Pacific Bay Resort on 30 July.
The Australian Event Awards and Symposium will also be staged in Coffs Harbour on 20–21 October.
The national conference and awards program promotes excellence, innovation and collaboration across the events industry and will provide another opportunity to highlight the Coffs Coast as a leading regional events destination.
The symposium will be held at Aanuka Beach House, with the awards ceremony taking place at Pacific Bay Resort on 21 October.
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