IT IS a simple concept - a holiday at home.
Ditch the road trip up the coast and spend some time in your own backyard.
Enjoy the sights of Newcastle and support local businesses at the same time.
It's a win-win.
Getting $500 to do it, now that's a win-win-win.
The Hometown Holiday project, funded by the City of Newcastle-led economic response taskforce launched earlier this year in a bid to support the city's tourism and hospitality sectors during COVID-19, offers Lower Hunter residents the chance to win $50,000 worth of gift vouchers to spend at impacted businesses this summer.
The initiative aims to provide economic stimulus for the industries hardest hit by the pandemic by incentivising locals to experience Newcastle's city centre as tourists.
Residents of the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens, Cessnock and Maitland council areas can apply to win a $500 voucher to spend at more than 70 businesses, including hotels, restaurants, bars, retail outlets, attractions and tours.
Launched yesterday at Battlesticks bar on Newcastle Harbour, the initiative builds on research by the University's Newcastle Business School. Dr Tamara Young, a senior lecturer with the school, said initiative would have flow-on benefits beyond the voucher spend.
"In the short term that will provide some economic recovery for the sector," she said. "But in the longer term, it will encourage resident knowledge of the city as a tourist destination and, hopefully, they will become ambassadors for the city as a destination; subsequently inviting their friends and relatives to visit Newcastle for a holiday."
Dominic May, who operates whale-watching and sightseeing boat tours out of Newcastle, said the initiative would be a boost to his business after a difficult year.
Mr May said CoastXP had been running tours seven days a week pre-COVID, but that had been reduced to operating mostly only Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
"It's been a roller-coaster ride," he said. "Some weeks and months have been enormously busy, but others have been very quiet. It goes up and down. School holidays were busy but also people's reaction to COVID when restrictions ease, people come back out and get into things.
"I started my business about two-and-a-half years ago, but you don't start a business to expect your going to close and there was three-and-a-half months there where I was closed. So that was obviously a tricky time."
To win a voucher, entrants must describe in 25 words or less why they would like to take a Hometown Holiday. Winners will be drawn on November 23, 30 and December 7 and 14. Entries can be summitted online at www.visitnewcastle.com.au.
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