SA regional tourism operators plan to grow sector to $4bn by 2025

An ambitious plan aims to grow SA’s regional tourism sector to $4 billion by 2025, including new events and adventures.

South Australian tourism operators have launched an ambitious plan to grow the state’s regional tourism sector by $1.3bn to $4bn by 2025.

Industry representatives unveiled the “road map to regional visitor recovery” as renewed interest in regional holidays helps drive the visitor economy out of the pandemic’s early slump.

The 2025 South Australian Regional Visitor Strategy (RVS) outlines priority action areas set by the state’s 11 tourism regions after talks with more than 800 stakeholders.

It builds on the success of the 2020 strategy, which saw the then-regional tourism target of $3.55bn reached in 2019 – more than one year early.

While it hit $3.6bn in December 2019, the collapse of international tourism, border closures and lockdowns due to COVID-19 saw it fall away to $2.7bn for the year ending September 2020.

The new plan outlines eight strategic pillars seen as critical to the success of SA’s visitor economy, including targeted digital marketing, creating new regional events and improved public infrastructure.

Premier Steven Marshall said regional tourism has never been more important to the visitor economy.

“The past 12 months have been incredibly challenging for tourism, but through our dedicated stimulus and support programs like Great State Voucher and the Tourism Industry Development Fund, we’ve seen growth in regional tourism like never before,” Mr Marshall said.

“More than 48 per cent of the state’s total visitor expenditure is spent in regions, up from 44 per cent at the end of 2019 – pre-bushfires, drought and COVID-19. As we navigate through these extraordinary times, it is critical that we keep this momentum going and keep regional tourism strong for the more than 24,000 South Australians it employs.”

Regional Visitor Strategy steering committee chair Helen Edwards said the plan was developed “by the regions, for the regions”.

The Umpherston Sinkhole at Mount Gambier. Picture: Michael Ellem

“The first Regional Visitor Strategy saw regions work together with a common goal, achieving our 2020 target of $3.6bn a whole 12 months ahead of time,” Ms Edwards said.

“Despite the enormous disruptions of the last year, regional tourism is proving its strength and its role in helping to kickstart the visitor economy.”

The RVS steering committee has representatives from the Regional Tourism Chairs Forum, Regional Development Australia SA, Local Government Association of SA, Tourism Industry Council SA, and the South Australian Tourism Commission.