Tourism records tumble in Gather Round’s big win for South Australia

SA was the major winner at this year’s Gather Round, with a record number of visitors and a staggering volume of SA food consumed. See how much the festival generated.

Super AFL fans James Kostarakis and Bruno Visentini at the Gather Round St Kilda v GWS Giants at Norwood Oval. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Hungry footy fans devoured an incredible 160kg of southern rock lobster and 37,000 Vili’s pastries at Adelaide Oval during this year’s groundbreaking AFL Gather Round.

The third annual ‘Festival of Footy’ generated unprecedented crowds and hotel occupancy rates, driving a record economic boost for South Australia.

Tourism figures show the four-day event – which saw an entire round of AFL football played at Adelaide Oval, Norwood and in the Barossa – brought 269,506 fans to games, with Adelaide Airport experiencing its busiest week on record.

Supporters at the Oval consumed almost 5000 Coffin Bay oysters, 2,800kg of SA beef and 2,100kg of SA chicken across the five matches played at the stadium.

Hotel occupancy in Adelaide reached an all-time high, with an average 93 per cent occupancy, or 10,669 rooms, for April 10-13 – up from 87 per cent for the 2024 AFL Gather Round. That brought an average revenue of $4.6m a night, up 25 per cent on the previous year.

It reached a peak on Friday night, with 10,669 rooms occupied generating $4.8m in revenue.

About 200,000 people flew in and out of the city, up from the previous record of 182,000 set during the first Gather Round in 2023.

Fans attempt to mark the ball from at the AFL Gather Round match between North Melbourne and the Gold Coast Suns at Barossa Park, Lyndoch. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Airlines operated more than 90 extra domestic flights compared to the previous month.

The event’s impact extended beyond the capital, with the Barossa region making its Gather Round debut. The newly completed $45.7m Barossa Park precinct hosted two AFL matches and thousands of fans. A hop-on, hop-off bus service in the region transported almost 4000 passengers to local businesses and wineries.

In Adelaide, the footy festival attracted 118,543 visitors over four days, a 17 per cent increase from last year. The Norwood Food and Wine Festival on The Parade – which featured more than 50 local traders, pop-up bars and live entertainment – drew more than 90,000 people.

Acting Tourism Minister Andrea Michaels said the event’s success showed Gather Round was “about more than just footy”.

Consumer and Business Affairs Minister Andrea Michaels. Picture: Keryn Stevens

“It’s an opportunity to showcase our regions, our hospitality, and our world-class food and wine to visitors from across the country,” she said.

Local businesses reported significant benefits from the influx of visitors.

Duncan Welgemoed, founder of Africola, described the Norwood Food and Wine Festival as “a massive success for traders”.

“The energy on The Parade was incredible, with locals and visitors enjoying the renowned South Australian hospitality,” he said.

“This event that truly showcases the creativity and passion of our local producers and chefs, and I’m proud to be part of it.”

Africola's Duncan Welgemoed. Photo: Claudio Raschella

West Beach Parks chief executive Kate Anderson said April – with Gather Round, Easter and the Anzac Day long weekend – was shaping up to be its busiest month on record.

She said 40 per cent of the centre’s Gather Round guests came from interstate, which highlighted the event’s “national draw … and its positive impact on visitation to West Beach Parks”.

The event’s success highlights South Australia’s growing reputation as a premier destination for major sporting events and tourism, with officials already looking forward to future iterations of the Gather Round.