Gold Coast tourism: Funding boost to bring more concerts, events and exhibitions to city
The Gold Coast tourism industry is continuing its Covid bounce-back, with new data revealing just how popular the city really is with visitors.
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The Gold Coast tourism industry is continuing its Covid bounce-back, with visitor numbers jumping 28 per cent from just one year ago.
The latest National and International Visitor Survey results, released by Tourism Research Australia for the year ending March 2024, show numbers still remains far below pre-2020 figures but the sector is booming off a strong domestic market.
Experience Gold Coast CEO John Warn said New Zealanders were our biggest visitors.
“In the twelve months to March, the Gold Coast generated $7.4bn in total visitor expenditure and welcomed 11.6 million total visitors, up 28 per cent and down 17.8 per cent respectively on 2019 levels,” he said.
“These visitors stayed a total 22.8 million nights, just 13.3 per cent shy of 2019 levels with an average stay of 8.15 nights for domestic overnight and international visitors combined.
“The Gold Coast led the state and the country in holiday visitor growth over the past twelve months, with 2.5 million domestic overnight holiday visitors, up 0.5 per cent year-on-year.”
It comes after news the Gold Coast’s tourism super entity will get a massive $6m funding boost and a mandate to put the city back on top as the nation’s must-visit location.
The city’s overall tourism spend will be supercharged on July 1, increasing from $47.4m to $75m, in the face of an increasingly competitive market.
Experience Gold Coast itself will receive an extra $6m, with the rest partially the result of the merger of the city’s events, tourism and education entities which all fall under a unified banner.
Key targets will be luring “world-class” international music acts, major sporting events and top-level exhibitions for the Home of the Arts (HOTA) gallery.
Mr Warn said the Gold Coast remained a popular destination despite the tough economic times.
“With cost-of-living increases affecting many Australians, we appreciate that so many holiday-makers continue to value and visit the Gold Coast.
“As economic recovery continues, the Gold Coast will keep delivering great experiences and value for money.
“International visitation continues to recover, with 651,000 international visitors from top markets including New Zealand, South Korea, the UK, China and USA.
“New Zealand remains the Gold Coast’s largest international market, now fully returned to 2019 levels with 211,000 Kiwi visitors while South Korea has shown strong growth, reaching a record 55,000 visitors.
“We continue to focus on the opportunities ahead as a multifaceted destination – expanding our event offerings, promoting midweek travel, enhancing our cultural credentials and attracting high-yielding markets for future growth.”
‘More concerts, more events’: Plan to supercharge Coast economy
The Gold Coast’s tourism super entity will get a massive $6m funding boost and a mandate to put the city back on top as the nation’s must-visit location.
The city’s overall tourism spend will be supercharged on July 1, increasing from $47.4m to $75m, in the face of an increasingly competitive market.
Experience Gold Coast itself will receive an extra $6m, with the rest partially the result of the merger of the city’s events, tourism and education entities which all fall under a unified banner.
Key targets will be luring “world-class” international music acts, major sporting events and top-level exhibitions for the Home of the Arts (HOTA) gallery.
Mayor Tom Tate said he and his colleagues had settled on the funding boost after discussing the strategy with Experience Gold Coast CEO John Warn and being impressed by his enthusiasm.
Cr Tate said the next year would prove critical, with the need for new “authentic” attractions.
“The recent investments in our theme parks and joint council and state government projects like Wonder Reef and the Southport Yacht Club Superyacht facility are great but tourism is competitive and we cannot rest on our laurels.
“We need to offer a broad range of options and just as 5 and 6-star offerings like the Mondrian and Ritz Carlton are most welcome, we also need authentic tourism opportunities that capitalise on our amazing hinterland and assets like South Stradbroke Island.
“That is why council is determined to foster and invest in eco-tourism and nature-based opportunities that add to our world class beaches, hotels, theme parks and restaurants.
“Over the next 12-18 months the community will see a number of market led and council facilitated opportunities that diversify our tourism product even more so we can be confident we have all bases covered.”
It comes just weeks after city leaders endorsed a new nature-based tourism action plan which will be aimed at capturing some of that lucrative market from states including Tasmania.
The industry is worth more than $7bn to the Gold Coast economy and has bounced back strongly from the Covid pandemic on the back of a strong domestic market.
However, international visitation remains significantly below that of pre-2020 levels.
Global events, including inflation and a highly competitive market have been blamed for the slow numbers, with 612,000 international visitors arriving in 2023, around 57 per cent of pre-Covid numbers.
Mr Warn said a “renewed focus on investment, branding and nature-based-tourism” were “important initiatives”, along with a unified brand to sell the city.
“We know how highly competitive destinations around the world are and need to be continually investing in new products and experiences to attract visitors to our beautiful city,” he said.
“Visitors are increasingly seeking immersive and sustainable experiences that unlock natural assets and we know that the Gold Coast is perfectly placed to deliver on this with our unrivalled Hinterland, beaches, and green spaces.
“They are also seeking authentic First Nations experiences and on the road to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games – when all eyes of the world will be on us – it is crucial that we continue to evolve and explore new opportunities.”
Mr Warn said it was critical that the city had a “universal brand” under which the Gold Coast could show visitors, both old and new, that it was renewing itself.
“New products and experiences are fundamental to entice visitors time and again and this sends a clear message that the Gold Coast is continually investing and reinventing itself,” he said.
“Equally important is a universal brand that encapsulates our city’s growing and thriving reputation. We have an incredible story to tell, and we look forward to partnering with the City to bring this to life as we drive a more sustainable visitor economy of the future.”
‘SURFERS IS UNCLEAN’ WHAT NEEDS FIXING WITH $6 MILLION BOOST
With the Gold Coast’s top tourism body being given a $6 million boost to attract more people to our city, the Bulletin hit the streets of Surfers Paradise to talk to visitors and find out what changes they would looks to see.
Adelaide local Sagar Gandhi said he and his partner Shivani Modi had travelled to the Gold Coast for the activities the city offers.
“We’ve been to jet boat extreme, today we are going to Movie World, lots of adventure activities to do here,” he said.
However, Mr Gandhi believed the public transport system could use some work.
“Everything is perfect but the government can encourage more regarding the public transport and give people more information regarding how to use it.
“If they put it online or do it some advertisement over the internet or social media that would be helpful,” he said.
Holidayers from Tasmania Ankit Sharma and Laxmi Gaire said they travelled here for the weather and the water activities.
“We did parasailing and jet skis yesterday and we’re going to Movie World now,” Mr Sharma said.
Mr Sharma and Ms Gaire agreed that while the beach was beautiful, Surfers Paradise also had it’s weak points.
“[Surfers] gets a little bit too crowded in the evening and a little bit needs to be cleaned as well, there’s a bit of uncleanliness around,” he said.
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