Gold Coast beaches still top drawcard for tourists in new visitor survey

GOLD Coast beaches still top the list as the city's main tourism drawcard but what else do visitors love about Australia's playground?

Gold Coast lifesavers on Surfers Paradise beach featured in a Tourism Australia campaign. Beaches are still the biggest drawcar

THE Gold Coast beaches have lost none of their sparkle for visitors -- still topping the list of tourism drawcards for the city.

Tourists surveyed in the inaugural Gold Coast Visitor Profile and Satisfaction Report, commissioned by Gold Coast Tourism and the Gold Coast City Council, said the city's beaches were one of the main reasons for coming here and going to the beach was the top activity during their stay.

Surfers Paradise Beach was the most popular spot visited, followed by Pacific Fair, Burleigh Beach, Harbour Town Shopping Centre and Coolangatta Beach.

`Summer's waiting for you on the Gold Coast' campaign by Gold Coast Tourism

The role of events in driving the city's tourism industry was also highlighted in the survey, with most saying that was why they came.

Jupiters Hotel and Casino boss Aaron Gomes said events played a crucial role in topping up the Gold Coast tourism industry's profits.

"Holiday bookings are made up to the last minute so they are difficult to plan around," he said.

"But when people come for events, they make the decision well in advance, so we are able to plan around it and avoid dropping rates."

Surfers Paradise was the most visited area, while Broadbeach, Coolangatta and Burleigh Heads were also high on the list.

Gold Coast theme parks also lure tourists. Pic: Luke Marsden.

Bob East, boss of Mantra, the Gold Coast's largest hotel operator, said Surfers Paradise attracted more tourists because it was where most of the city's hotels were.

But Mr East said Broadbeach and Coolangatta were popular and the company's hotels in those areas consistently recorded higher occupancy levels than those in Surfers Paradise.

The survey showed a high level of satisfaction from visitors who come here, with 84 per cent registering their approval, while 84 per cent of tourists told researchers they were likely to return within three years.

Mr East said he was not surprised by the results and he expected things to improve more in the next five to 10 years.

"The Gold Coast has a bright future and we will continue to invest here," he said. "Things will be even more positive in the future."

Despite headlines about bikie problems on the Gold Coast, a high percentage of people surveyed said they were satisfied with the personal safety and security they found here.

Pop star Cody Simpson performs to thousands of screaming fans at Pacific Fair.