Tourism Research Australia figures show spending spike in regional Victoria

Fewer tourists may be visiting the regions post-pandemic but they aren’t afraid to spend big during their stay, a new reports shows.

Regional tourism is booming, with visitors spending . Genazzano FCJ College students Eliza Hughes, Grace Lui, Sonia Zhuang and Isabella Emmitt dress up in costume on Main Street. Picture: David Caird

Tourism is booming in regional Victoria, with new figures revealing travellers are splashing out far more cash than before Covid lockdowns.

While the number of visitors is lower overall than pre-pandemic, the amount they spend including accommodation and dining out has bounced back to hit new highs.

Domestic overnight visitor numbers in regional Victoria for May were down by 13 per cent compared with four years earlier, Tourism Research Australia figures released on Friday show.

But though fewer in number, those visitors spent $706 million — up 33 per cent compared with May 2019.

Despite a string of setbacks including Covid lockdowns, floods, and the Andrews Government’s recent ban on print ads in major metropolitan newspapers, Victorian attractions have staged a remarkable post-Covid comeback.

Phillip Island penguin parade averaged 2000 visitors a night during the last school holidays.

The Queenscliff-to-Sorrento ferry is now attracting a whopping 40 per cent more motorhomes and caravans than it was before Covid lockdowns.

Searoad Ferries chief executive Matt McDonald said the total number of passengers is up eight per cent on pre-Covid levels.

“The busiest day ever in the company’s 37-year history was 27 December, 2022 – moving 2000 vehicles and 10,000 passengers in one day,” he said.

Sovereign Hill’s visitor numbers are back on par with 2019, with the recent Winter Wonderlights three-week event attracting 90,000 visitors, the same as four years earlier.

Sovereign Hill chief executive Sara Quon said while the return to pre-Covid levels was positive, there was a long journey ahead to recover from the devastation of Covid.

“International visitation is critically important to Sovereign Hill as well as other Victorian attractions,” she said.

“In 2019, international visitation comprised almost 15 per cent of our total audience. So far this year it is comprising slightly less than five per cent.”

The Queenscliff to Sorrento ferry is attracting 40 per cent more motor homes and caravans than it was pre-Covid. Picture: Alan Barber

At the Phillip Island Penguin Parade, an average of 2000 people a night visited during the last school holidays, 32 per cent up on the same time last year.

And the attraction hit a record of 18 consecutive sold-out nights over the summer peak season.

Phillip Island Nature Parks chief executive Catherine Basterfield said crowds had bounced back faster than forecast, driven largely by strong support from Victorian and interstate visitors.

“International visitation continues to grow consistently, but remains below pre-Covid numbers, which is not surprising given it took a while for the international borders to re-open,” she said.

Separate figures provided by Visit Victoria show all regions recorded higher domestic overnight expenditure in the 12 months to March than pre-pandemic levels.

The biggest winners were Phillip Island, where spending jumped 99 per cent, the High Country, up 77 per cent, the Goldfields, up 76 per cent, Geelong and the Bellarine, up 72 per cent, and the Grampians, up 71 per cent.

Total domestic spending in regional Victoria including day trips and overnight stays reached $16.4 billion for the year ending March 2023, 57 per cent higher than the year ending March 2019.

Victorian Tourism Minister Steve Dimopoulos said the record results were testament to the quality and breadth of experiences on offer and the passionate people working in tourism.

See your travel guide on where to go and what to do in regional Victoria in Saturday’s VWeekend.