Mr Parker believes that local businesses play a bigger part in tourism than they might think.

“Some businesses in town seem to lack confidence in Glen Innes and I have to wonder why they would open a business if they have no confidence in the place,” he said.

“Local businesses play such an important part in promoting Glen Innes and I wonder why so many of them aren’t either members of GISTA or doing their best to promote our region.

“I often hear some businesses detail what they think is wrong with Glen Innes and I always ask them, compared to where?”

Mr Parker believes local businesses are the face of Glen Innes and should be more positive about the local area when tourists stop off to shop or browse. 

Glen Innes Pie shop owner Kristy Wetherall said she always presents a positive outlook to tourists when they come into her shop.

“I think our business does have an important part to play in tourism,” she said.

“I think to keep a small town like Glen going we need tourists to stop here as much as possible.

“We try to offer as much help as we can to the visitors that come into town and we get asked all sorts of question from where the nearest bathroom is, to which way a certain place is, street is, and various local attractions are like the Standing Stones, all which we happily answer to the best of our ability, it’s part of our job to be friendly.”

Mrs Wetherall said often tourists pop into the town's pie shop for a chat and to buy food and drink and they try to offer the same service to everyone.

“We try to be as friendly and helpful to all our customers whether young, elderly, local or tourist and we go out of our way to make people want to come back to us next time they are in town whether it be a bit of helpful information about Glen Innes, a chat, or simply to pick up change that has fallen on the floor,” she said.

“Without our customers, we have no business.”