A new marketing campaign is aiming to tempt tourists back into the region's Alpine areas.
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After drought, bushfires and the coronavirus took a toll, the campaign aims to kick start tourism in the Snowy Valleys region.
Tourists are being encouraged to leave the Hume Highway at Gundagai, and take Snowy Valleys Way through Tumut, Batlow, Tumbarumba, Corryong, Yackandandah and Beechworth before re-joining the main route at Wangaratta.
Snowy Valleys Council's Paul Holton said the revamp project included new-look road signs and website.
"Drive tourism is set to become the preferred Australian holiday escape and is a very important part of our wider region's visitor experience," he said.
"Encouraging travelers to detour off the highway via the Snowy Valleys Way brings them into contact with our towns and villages which they would not otherwise be exposed to, helping to boost our local tourism economy."
The original Snowy Valleys Way project was developed more than a decade ago and was a collaboration between the former councils of Gundagai, Tumut, Tumbarumba, Towong and Indigo.
Tourism is one of the key drivers the business community is looking to for kick-starting the post-coronavirus economic recovery, according to regional manager of the NSW Business Chamber, Andrew Cottrill.
"In a normal year we would expect more than 2.8 million overnight and day visitors to the Riverina. With our 2019 visitor spend down on the previous year by around $85 million or 11 per cent, we were already coming off a lower base before the COVID-19 lockdown arrived," he said.
"Our tourism, hospitality, pubs, clubs and restaurants have been the hardest hit, as they just could not operate profitably if at all during the lockdown. They are also the last to come out of hibernation as the handbrake is eased on restrictions.
"This week's opening up of regional tourism very much presents the best opportunity for these businesses to get back to profitable operations, return much needed cash flow, and get people back to work."
Sarah Hope from Destination Riverina Murray says the return of tourists and holidaymakers to the region would provide a much-needed confidence boost.
"The tourism sector and, in particular, accommodation providers, tour operators and experiences such as wineries have had a tough time in 2020, however things are now looking more positive," Ms Hope said.
However, she also warned that it was important for people to maintain COVID-19 physical distancing measures and ensure they are feeling healthy and well before leaving home.
The possibility of travellers bringing the coronavirus to the region has caused the Tumut Community Association to sound the alarm on an influx of tourists.
"The risks to our community from COVID-19 are serious. Health experts are concerned that not enough is known about this dangerous virus and the affect of colder weather on it's spread," association secretary Christine Webb said.
"We have heard that the reasons for easing restrictions are to stimulate the economy. However if this virus spreads in our community the economic impact could be devastating with large numbers of people unable to work affecting our food production and timber industry."