SA tourism makes $70m recovery after COVID-19 lockdowns thanks to citizens holidaying at home
South Australians wanting to get out of their homes – but stuck within our borders – flocked to our own tourist attractions, giving them a huge bounce back from the shutdown.
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South Australians holidaying in their own backyard drove a $70m bounce back for the state’s crippled tourism sector in just two months after lockdowns ended.
A snapshot of the initial recovery, from April to June, shows spending by local holiday-makers jumped 84.2 per cent, or from $66m to $152m, once coronavirus restrictions eased.
Country getaways have also been popular, with the amount tourists are spending in regional SA recovering to $111m in June, a $50m increase on the April figures.
The number of travellers in SA almost tripled to 427,000 by June, new Tourism Research Australia figures show.
But COVID-19 border restrictions across Australia are preventing a stronger recovery, with $257m less spent by domestic tourists in SA in June than the same month last year.
“South Australians have shown incredible generosity and support for our tourism industry by getting out to the regions and this has gone a long way to saving local businesses and jobs,” Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said.
Senator Birmingham urged other states with similar success in suppressing COVID-19 to “open their doors to SA” to help tourism recover.
“I urge Australians who are in a position to do so, to take a ‘staycation’, organise an off-site busness meeting at venue or for those who live in the bush, to book a weekend away in the big smoke as this could help to save a tourism business or the job of an Australian,” he said.
SA regional tourism operators have also called on the state to “trump” NT and Tasmania with an improved voucher scheme.
The latest tourism snapshot comes as Prime Minister Scott Morrison is set to unveil a $50m grants program today to get business events started again.
Businesses will be able to apply for up-front grants to cover up to 50 per cent of their costs to exhibit at approved business events, trade shows and conferences within Australia in 2021.
The money will help cover travel, accommodation, hiring exhibition spaces and designing and making displays.
The scheme will cover up to half the costs of exhibiting for businesses that spend $10,000 to $250,000.
“This is not only about supporting events companies and venues, but will also be a shot in the arm for a broad range of businesses and the people they employ, whether it’s accommodation providers, those who build exhibitions, caterers, cleaners or those offering audio-visual services,” Mr Morrison said.
Originally published as SA tourism makes $70m recovery after COVID-19 lockdowns thanks to citizens holidaying at home