WOMADelaide to be held for five more years as Adelaide hotel bookings hit record for February

One of the state’s most iconic Mad March events will rock on in SA for another five years.

One of the state’s most iconic Mad March events will continue for another five years with the state government extending their longstanding partnership with ‘the World’s Festival’ through to 2029.

The announcement comes as hotel occupancy rates across the city reached a record for February, with an average of 8086 rooms occupied each night, according to new data from research firm STR.

Forward booking data from Monday, March 4 also showed that more than 9000 hotel rooms had been booked on the Saturday night of WOMAD.

In pictures: Heat can’t beat WOMAD fans

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Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison said WOMAD was a “wonderful tourism drawcard” and that she looked forward to seeing the festivities continue into the future.

“I look forward to seeing WOMADelaide continue to bring music, dance, arts and ideas from around the world to the parklands for another five years and reinforcing South Australia’s position as our nation’s only UNESCO City of Music,” she said.

Some of the onstage action from WOMAD on Saturday. Picture: Dean Martin

As one of the state’s largest attractions for interstate and international visitors, SA Major Attraction Committee chair Leon Bignell said it was important to keep festivals like WOMAD in SA.

Despite scorching weather across the weekend, WOMAD organisers said they had reached record sales of four-day passes on Sunday, with more attendees taking up the pay-as-you-go offer.

WOMAD global chief operating officer Mike Large said the festival’s success was a testament to the passion of South Australians.

“WOMAD is the World’s Festival and brings the world to the world with an ever-changing program of extraordinary, diverse, and joyous experiences.

“It only stands the test of time because it evolves and responds to its audience and location and to do that it relies on the passion and dedication of its partners and nowhere is that passion and dedication stronger than Adelaide.”

In preparation for this year, WOMAD underwent its biggest changes to date to deliver more green spaces, shaded areas, the new 16m-long retail hub, WoMarkets, and new stage locations with accessible routes.

The four-day festival is hosting 700 artists from more than 40 countries, including Ziggy Marley, Yussef Dayes and Jose Gonzales.