LIV Golf visitors flock to hotel rooms in Adelaide

From Gather Round to LIV Golf, the accommodation and hospitality sector are shedding Covid blues with full houses and high spending guests, especially at the Bay.

Accommodation is still available at the Bay for the LIV Golf weekend at the Grange course – at a price.

Stamford Grand at Glenelg has rooms for two priced from $1327 for checking in Friday and out Monday, while Oaks Glenelg Plaza has rooms from $1491 and Oaks Glenelg Liberty Suites from $2102.

People looking on Airbnb can find a one-bedroom Glenelg apartment from $1118, a two-bedroom Seacliff home from $1443 or a four-bedroom Glenelg South property from $3358 for the three nights.

Experts predict accommodation rates will hit 100 per cent as almost half of the tickets sold to the event have gone to interstate and overseas fans.

Grange Golf Club course groundskeeper/superintendent Rowan Daymond putting the finishing touches on The Watering Hole at the 12th tee. Picture: Emma Brasier

Former long time Australian Hotels Association state president Peter Hurley noted crowds arriving for LIV Golf will be different to many who flooded in for last weekend’s Gather Round.

“There will probably be less families – this will be a high spending, high worth group,” he said.

“We should be at close to 100 per cent capacity this weekend for the event but it will be a slightly different market, a lot more internationals will be coming in for this.

“They won’t be after cafeteria meals, they will be dining in style and spending big – if they can see the value.”

Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison. Picture Emma Brasier

Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison noted the state tourism sector is rebounding strongly from the grim Covid lockdown years.

“As we farewell the incredibly successful AFL Gather Round that saw Adelaide pumping and drew more than 220,000 fans to the state over the weekend, South Australia is now ready for an event the likes of which our country has never seen before,” Ms Bettison said.

“LIV Golf brings some of the world’s best golf players to South Australia for the tournament’s first time on our nation’s shores, attracting interstate and international crowds, who are coming to Adelaide to see their favourite sportsmen, and experience what South Australia has to offer.

“With over 63,000 tickets sold across corporate and general admission, including all ground-passes having sold out, our state’s tourism and hospitality industry is preparing for another huge weekend, which translates to more visitors, more economic activity and more jobs for the industry.

“This is exactly what our tourism economy needs as we continue to recover from the pandemic and focus on bringing international visitors back to our State.”

Ms Bettison said 42 per cent of ticket purchases are from interstate or overseas fans.