Tourism figures show a surge in visitors to the Moreton Bay Region

THE stats are in and they prove the Moreton Bay Region is experiencing a golden era in tourism with the glow tipped to keep shining for years to come.

The surf beach at Bribie Island. Photo: Dominika Lis

IT’S a crisp, sunny morning on the Redcliffe Peninsula — perfect weather for the popular jetty markets. The area is bustling with stalls as far as the eye can see as thousands of marketgoers sample local food. Among the crowd one man is beaming: Moreton Bay Mayor Allan Sutherland.

“Ten years ago, most of the people here would have driven straight past Moreton Bay to get to the Sunny Coast,” Cr Sutherland says.

“I reckon you could’ve thrown a stone down Redcliffe Pde and not hit a single person. Now, there isn’t a weekend where this place, or anywhere in the region for that matter, isn’t filled with visitors.”

And the figures back that up.

Statistics revealed by the region’s business and tourism body Moreton Bay Region Industry and Tourism (MBRIT) show the region is experiencing a golden era in tourism.

In 2017, 3.6 million visitors made their way to Moreton Bay, a massive 47.5 per cent increase on visitor numbers in 2010.

Crowds enjoy markets along Redcliffe Pde. Photo: Dominika Lis

Those visitors spent close to $1 billion at local tourism operators, businesses and cafes, supporting more than 13,000 jobs.

The approximately $1 billion visitor spend is an increase of 30 per cent in just three years, and bucks the trend of other places in the southeast which have experienced a drop.

People are staying longer too, with the length of stay for international visitors now an average of four nights.

“One of the figures that amazes me the most is that in just three years, the number of tourism businesses in the region has surged from a smidgen over 1000 to more than 3000 today,” Cr Sutherland says.

“You look around and there’s new hotels and venues in Eatons Hill, North Lakes, Bribie Island and Redcliffe; new cafes and restaurants along the water and throughout the hinterland. The existing guys say they’ve never been busier. It’s brilliant. And it means more jobs for locals.”

Fireworks above the Redcliffe Jetty. Photo: Dominika Lis.

MBRIT chief executive officer Shane Newcombe says the huge uptick in tourism numbers is the result of major investments by council, government and business; a jam-packed events calendar; and the promotion of Moreton Bay Region’s natural assets.

“For example, for every dollar the council invested in tourism for 2017, it generated $609 in economic activity for businesses, tourism operators and accommodation providers,” he says. “A decade ago, it’s fair to say there wasn’t much on offer. Today, Moreton Bay can boast events like the Woodford Folk Festival and Festival of Sails, and attractions like Bee Gees Way, Pumicestone Passage and D’Aguilar National Park.” And when we collate the data, it shows that people are travelling from all over the country and now the world to experience those things.

“I think as a region, we’ve done huge amounts of work in terms of building up a regional identity, creating a digital presence to promote what we have to offer, and in building a product that people want, and it’s finally paying off,” he says.

The Moreton Bay Region has plenty of bushwalks for locals and visitors to enjoy. Photo: Dominika Lis

Cr Sutherland is excited to see the region continue its upwards trajectory.

Walking past his favourite strawberry stall, where the fruit is grown in the region, he says: “From Bribie Island to Woodford, and Redcliffe to Samford and The Hills District, I really believe we’re shedding the stereotype as commuter suburbs and sleepy towns, and showing the world why we are no longer just a pit stop to the rest of Queensland,” he says.