Tweed Tourism Co general manager steps down

THE Tweed Tourism Co general manager Sally Scott has finished in the role, as Tweed Shire Council prepares to bring its $1.06 million annual tourism services in-house from October.

Scott wrapped up on April 17 after nearly seven years with the organisation, including almost three as general manager.

The Tweed Tourism Company, a council-owned brand delivered through external contractor DR Tourism, has been widely recognised for its destination marketing, winning three consecutive NSW Tourism Awards and earning Hall of Fame status.

Scott said she had seen a clear shift in how the region is perceived.

“When I first moved here, the first question everyone asked me was, ‘Where is The Tweed?'” she said.

“Now they know The Tweed, and they know it as a desirable destination.”

She said mentoring operators and building collaboration across the industry had been a key focus, including through the annual Meet The Tweed event.

“One of the real joys has been mentoring tourism operators and unifying the region,” she said.

Scott pointed to hosting the 2022 Australian Society of Travel Writers convention as a major milestone, generating extensive national coverage.

She also highlighted the growth of the Savour The Tweed festival, which council will continue when it brings the service in-house.

“We established this five-day food and drink festival which has quickly become an award-winning signature event for The Tweed,” she said.

“After incubating this event, I am proud to hand over the reins to Tweed Shire Council to lead for 2026.”

Scott said council was well placed to align tourism with existing assets, including the Tweed Regional Gallery, museum, holiday parks and the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.

“There’s a lot of great assets, and it makes sense to bring them into alignment,” she said.

“There is strong momentum in place, and I have no doubt The Tweed will continue to thrive.”

The move will bring the region in line with most NSW councils, which manage tourism services in-house.

Tweed Shire Council said the model would retain existing service levels while allowing closer alignment with areas such as economic development, events and business support.

Potager co-founder and former owner Peter Burr said he was surprised by the decision given the organisation’s track record.

“I was extremely surprised that council would want to do that, given the success that Tweed Tourism has had,” Burr said.

He said the group’s marketing had helped lift the region’s profile and support local operators.

“At the end of the day, it’s the operators who create the reasons for people to visit The Tweed, and they need to be supported in the best way possible,” he said.

“With the current economic climate getting worse and visitor movements potentially dropping, the focus has to be on continuing to elevate The Tweed.”

“For the community and the region, I hope the council does an outstanding job and builds upon the success.”