Accommodating holiday makers, conference-goers and event-lovers

In recent years, we’ve seen a continued growth in Wollongong being viewed as a location for short breaks, longer holidays and business. Looking to the future, we see an opportunity to ensure Wollongong can cater for all various accommodation needs now, and into the immediate future.

We are developing our Tourism Accommodation Strategy and will be inviting expert industry input to assist us. This engagement is key to making sure our approach supports industry to deliver a range of tourism accommodation options that meets the needs of visitors.

So far, we’ve considered matters like land zoning, land uses, heights and floor spaces allowances and development controls like parking requirements that apply to tourism development. Input from industry will add another dimension to our research.

“Tourism provides a range of local employment opportunities. The delivery of more accommodation providers will also critically contribute to this” Wollongong City Council General Manager Greg Doyle said.

“We’re at an interesting juncture in terms of the city’s development right now and Council has a role to play in considering Development Applications that can increase the quantity of hotels and other accommodation forms in the city,’’

Encouragingly, there are currently 7 approved Development Applications for yet-to-be constructed hotels, which would provide more than 640 additional rooms in the City Centre if built, and a further 2 Development Applications are under assessment, which have a combined total of 457 rooms. This is in addition to the city’s established short-term accommodation offer.

Right now though, there are not enough short-term accommodation options, such as hotels, motels, conference venues, bed and breakfast accommodation and in cabins in tourist parks, to cater for visitor demand.

“We want to draw on the knowledge of specialists, property and business advocacy groups and a range of partners, including Destination Wollongong, Destination Sydney Surrounds South, Business Illawarra, the Property Council and investors and hoteliers, to then develop a clear strategy that sets out a direction and pathway forward for the city.

“With this Strategy in place, we can better guide the growth and evolution of hotels and other types of accommodation across the Local Government Area and see proposals, should they be approved, to move into construction phase as soon as possible.’’

Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said Council had been working hard for some time to position the city as a place that is undergoing a significant change.

Wollongong has, he said, demonstrated we can host world-class sporting events like the NSW Darts Masters in 2023, and the UCI Road World Championships in 2022. Plus, we’ve some significant events coming to the city in the next few years including hosting the 2024 National Youth Championships Boys’ tournament for football in July and the world’s best triathletes for a series of major international events in 2024, 2025 and 2026, including the world triathlon championship finals next year.

We’ve also seen the city raise its profile on screens – big and small – with film and television production companies using locations within our suburbs to film the Paramount+ series One Night, the BBC murder series Return to Paradise and the blockbuster movie Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

“Whether we’re talking about world-class athletes or television and film production, opportunities like these can generate money in the local economy and support employment opportunities,’’ Cr Bradbery said.

“However, if we get the mix of accommodation right and a good balance with available beds in the city, it opens Wollongong up further to build on attracting sporting events and creative projects to the city as well as conferencing opportunities like the 2023 Right to Recovery conference by the Australian Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence Recovery Alliance and the upcoming NSW Planning Institute of Australia conference. With each of these opportunities, comes a benefit to our local community that doesn’t just support employment, but also investment in the city.’’

The planning of a draft Tourism Accommodation Strategy comes as Council, as one of the key partners in Invest Wollongong, launched the 2024 Invest Wollongong Prospectus. The document, launched at NSW Parliament House on Wednesday 20 March, pitches Wollongong as a city where business and lifestyle grow together.

“Invest Wollongong is a strategic partnership between Council, the NSW Government and the University of Wollongong, and it sees us take a really collaborative approach to attracting new businesses, investment and jobs to the city,’’ Cr Bradbery said.

“The work we’re doing as a partner in Invest Wollongong is of vital importance to the city. We’ve seen a 50 per cent uplift in new A-grade office space in the past four years in the CBD and the BlueScope Master Plan is looking to transform 200 hectares of surplus industrial land at Port Kembla, with the potential to create 30,000 jobs.

“For Council to continue to advocate on behalf of our community for positive and proactive investment opportunities, it’s essential we lead the way as these changes are considered in our city, and having clear plans and documentation allows us to do just that.’’