South Australia in race for slice of $65bn in Aussie tourism bonanza
South Australia is in a battle to nab a major slice of $65 billion in tourism dollars up for grabs as states look to reopen borders next month.
Coronavirus News
Don't miss out on the headlines from Coronavirus News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Travellers urged to swap overseas trips for holidays at home
- Mapped: Great day trips within 150km of Adelaide
South Australia is in a battle to capture a major slice of the $65 billion up for grabs that Australians would normally spend on overseas travel.
Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham will outline the “enormous opportunity” in a key speech today.
He will also call on Australians to do their “patriotic duty” by holidaying at home this year to help fast-track the country’s economic recovery.
Senator Birmingham, said SA’s move to restart interstate travel by reopening borders to WA, Tasmania and the NT immediately could put it ahead of the curve, as other states look to reopen from July.
“I’m hoping SA will now see a flow of grey nomads crossing the border from WA and wine connoisseurs from Tassie, giving SA a headstart on attracting interstate visitors who can spend more than just a few days visiting,” he said.
SA Tourism Commission chief executive Rodney Harrex said the state was “well-primed” to capture the tourism dollars up for grabs.
SA’s tourism website has had almost 600,000 views in little more than two weeks, with almost half from people living interstate.
“Interstate visitors spend $2.7 billion in South Australia and while our country’s borders are closed, there is a huge opportunity to grow that figure and capture the strong interest being shown in SA by Australians as they look for overseas holiday alternatives,” Mr Harrex said.
Interstate visitors were looking at regions such as the Flinders Ranges and the Adelaide CBD, he said.
Aussies spent a $65.2 billion on trips overseas in 2019 – significantly more than the $45 billion international tourists spent here.
South Australians spent $3.3 billion overseas.
“For those Australians who can afford to do so, we want them to feel an almost patriotic duty to get out and support the jobs and small businesses of their fellow citizens by having whatever Aussie holiday they can,” Senator Birmingham will say in a speech in Canberra today.
“That could mean, instead of the Greek Islands, it could be Kangaroo Island, or instead of wine tasting in the Loire Valley, it could be wine tasting in the Clare Valley.”