Why Leave Town Promotions, the company behind the gift cards program, said BVIC had loaded the highest value of gift cards, $47,510, throughout 2020 and also took out the top spot for the most gift cards loaded by a single business across Australia, with 662.

Mayor Bobby Bourke said the Buy Local Gift Card program was an important part of Bathurst Regional Council's commitment to supporting local businesses.

"Over $270,000 was loaded onto cards in the Bathurst region in the last year and this is all money that will stay in our community and be spent across the more than 135 participating businesses," Cr Bourke said.

ALSO MAKING NEWS:

"In December alone, 312 cards with a value of $23,175 were loaded at BVIC."

The Buy Local Gift Card program started in Bathurst in 2015. Since then, more than $580,000 has been redeemed at local businesses.

"BVIC is a valuable hub for the community as well as for visitors to the region," Cr Bourke said.

"These numbers, and their place as the number one business in Australia for sales in this program, show the importance of the business to supporting Bathurst as well as the overall importance of the program to the economic strength of Bathurst."

Bathurst Visitor Information Centre is open seven days a week from 9.30am to 4.30pm.

Buy Local Gift Cards can be loaded with any dollar amount from $20 to $500.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: