Blue Mountains. Donations for pilot program

Visitors to the Blue Mountains will be asked to dig into their pockets as the cash-strapped council seeks funds to boost tourism. Councillors have voted to go ahead with a voluntary tourist contribution scheme, a step back from the controversial consideration of a tax late last year. A small-scale pilot program will go ahead that will initially target overnight visitors, who will be invited by participating accommodation providers to have a small donation added to the cost of their stay. Collected funds would be used by the council to upgrade tourism infrastructure. The council’s report into the scheme estimates it would take less than $5000 to set up the program which would include the production of promotional material explaining to guests what their contribution would be used for, according the The Blue Mountains Gazette.