ONE of the classrooms at Taree's TAFE campus was transformed into a hub of local tourism facts and information on Wednesday as certificate III retail students presented their tourism forum.
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Each year there is a major focus area for the course and this year concentrated on the 'Awesome Manning Valley'.
Devised by teacher Debbie Polson, the unit was aimed at showcasing the many different aspects of the area that continue to attract tourists and generate dollars for the local economy.
The students all noted that the exercise had "opened their eyes" to what natural beauty, destinations and events we are exposed to, all within a short drive of where we live.
The unit culminated with Wednesday's forum where different community members, peers, family members and staff around the campus were invited to go along and have each of the eight students 'sell' them an aspect of the local tourism industry.
From the strong local sporting environment, to bushwalks and tours, historical museums, markets and festivals around the area, restaurants and cafes, local beaches and other natural attractions, each student had studied their focus area and had to man stalls and discuss their topics with the visitors.
Although some were nervous to begin with, they soon settled into their tourism roles.
The staff and students especially thanked Greater Taree City Council for its assistance and supplying the posters used in the forum, as well as the Manning Tourist Information Centre for providing the brochures and booklets for each stall.