A B-double truck from Tamworth-based Carey’s Freight Lines has been wrapped in eye-catching larger-than-life images of the Tamworth region.

The truck will even have its own social media campaign – #TamworthTruck. 

Anyone who spots the truck, snaps a photo and uploads it to Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag #TamworthTruck has the chance to win a weekend in Tamworth staying at the Quality Hotel Powerhouse.

Tamworth mayor Col Murray described it as a “huge moving billboard showing off our region to thousands of potential visitors”.

“This vehicle will be travelling from Tamworth to numerous locations on the eastern seaboard and back – all the while promoting our region as a destination for visitors,” Cr Murray said.

In the 2015/16 financial year, the region had 481,000 visitors. In 2016 alone the tourism industry contributed $155m to the local economy, with almost 99,200 tourist pasting through the Tamworth Visitor Information Centre.

Tamworth council’s business and community director Jon Sommerlad said that was a record number of visitors for centre.

This year, 58,000 people have already past through the Visitor Information Centre, which is an increase of 14,000 on the same time last year.

“All those people are greeted by the centre’s volunteers, and we couldn’t do what we do here without them,” Mr Sommerlad said.

“They are face of the tourism industry for the city and the local government area, and without them we would be lost.”

Council also unveiled a new display at the centre about the origins of the Golden Guitar Awards, which pays homage by radio presenters and country music legends John Minson and Max Ellis.

There is also new event wall, designed to make it easier for visitors to know what’s on in the region.