Mr Mercurio will be one of the special speakers at the event which will be held on Thursday, July9, at the Tobruk Sheep Station, Old Northern Road, Maroota.

Singer-actor Frankie J.Holden will host the event.

Mr Mercurio, who is currently the host of Mercurio's Menu which screens on Channel Seven, will speak at the event thanks to award-winning cooking school Urban Graze.

Lori Modde, who is the executive manager of The Hills, Hawkesbury and Riverlands Tourism, said that the conference would be a great opportunity for businesses.

She said operators will hear tips on how to help their businesses expand during these uncertain economic times.

The topics for discussion will include marketing, the internet and Google and improved ways of understanding your customers.

Organisations including Tourism NSW, TNS Research, TAFE and Australian Tourism Data Warehouse will be represented at the conference.

Author Catherine DeVrye will be speaking at the conference.

``This event is a great opportunity for people interested in promoting our destination to visitors and to those in the food industry,'' she said.

Ms Modde said the event was ``not to be missed''.

She said it would be the first opportunity for many operators to hear from professionals in the industry.

Owners of restaurants, cafes, bed-and-breakfast establishments, farms, retail shops, conference centres and hotels are encouraged to attend.

The conference will run from 8.30am to 5.30pm.

Details: hhart.com.au or 82086122.