This comes after representatives from Tourism NSW visited Lightning Ridge last October to assess the tourism potential of the town.

Tourism New South Wales (now part of the Department of Tourism Sport and Recreation - DTSR), in conjunction with each Regional Tourism Organisation (RTO), is progressively developing tourism plans for each region of New South Wales, as detailed in Towards 2020 - New South Wales Tourism Master plan.

The Outback Regional Tourism Organisation Inc. (ORTO) and Tourism New South Wales (TNSW) have pooled their resources and assembled a planning team to prepare a Strategic Plan On Tourism for Outback NSW - Project SPOT ON.

According to the planning team the plan not only needs the widest possible input, it must have the support of regional stakeholders.

As such the planning team is seeking the views, needs, ideas and suggestions of all interested parties in outback NSW to assist and guide the deliberations of the planning team and the content of the final plan.

To the extent possible much of the information is being gathered first-hand through field visits, product reviews and meetings.

However with a 'paddock' the size of outback NSW the planning team cannot hope to get all the input it needs by face-to-face means alone.

So a discussion paper has been prepared and will be a vital part of putting together the strategic plan on tourism development in outback NSW.

To access a copy of the discussion paper and the response form you can go to the Tourism New South Wales website at http://corporate.tourism.nsw.gov. au/outback, visit the Lightning Ridge Community Technology Centre (CTC) or the Lightning Ridge Visitor Information or call Tourism New South Wales prior to January 30, on (02) 9931 1493 and a copy will be mailed to you.

The closing date for input is February 12.