South Australia the nation's least popular state

SOUTH Australia is failing in its attempts to excite Australian tourists, with a survey showing it is the nation's least popular state for domestic visitors.

By Angela Saurine and Travel Reporter

2 min read

July 27, 2009 - 10:00AM

NewsComAu

Cape Spencer

SOUTH Australia is failing in its attempts to excite Australian tourists, with a new survey showing it is the least popular state in the country for domestic visitors.

In a blow to the state's domestic tourism market, just three per cent of Australian travellers said it is their favourite place to visit in the Escape.com.au Travel Survey.

Not a single SA location rated a mention in a list of the country's top ten travel destinations, with people preferring to go to Hobart or The Margaret River in Western Australia.

The Barossa Valley was the preferred travel destination in SA, followed by Adelaide and McLaren Vale.

YOUR SAY: What should SA do to attract more visitors?

Australian Hotels Association state president Ian Horne said SA may be suffering from historic prejudice and geographic disadvantages.

”In the 1960s in Adelaide we were proud to be known as the City of Churches, but we have always had far more pubs than churches,” he said.

”We have possibly just failed in the last 40 years to get that message across and we've been left with that legacy.

”We lose out to the sunshine and surf and we're at the bottom of the largest island continent. We're not a gateway.

But Mr Horne said the city was attracting major sporting events such as the Clipsal 500 and was punching above its weight when it came to business conventions.

Earlier this year, the SA Government released its 2009-2014 tourism plan, setting ambitious industry targets for the next five years.

It aimed for $6 billion in annual visitor expenditure by 2014, up from the current $4.2 billion.

South Australian Tourism Commission chief executive Andrew McEvoy said while preference for the state was low, SA registered more strongly in the critical area of visitation.

He said another recent survey found SA was ahead of Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the ACT to be the 5th most visited state.

”For us the real measure of success is real people turning up and spending money,” he said.

”In the December quarter the national visitor survey showed that the only state in Australia to grow was SA.

Mr McEvoy said major strategies to improve tourism included getting more planes to land in Adelaide.

But opposition tourism spokesman Terry Stevens said the survey showed SA's efforts to promote tourism had failed.

”I am incredibly disappointed and disturbed with this set of numbers,” he said.

”It obviously points to this current government's efforts with regards to promoting tourism in South Australia is obviously failing.

The survey of more than 12,000 people was conducted on the Escape.com.au website and in the Escape travel supplement in News Limited Sunday papers, with 10 per cent of respondents SA residents.

The results of the survey were released to coincide with the launch of a new-look Escape section free in News Limited papers on Sunday.

The first edition of the new-look travel pull-out is giving away 13 free family holidays.

Favourite state in Australia

1. Queensland - 45 per cent

2. Victoria - 13 per cent

3.Western Australia - 11 per cent

4. NSW - 10 per cent

5. Tasmania - 10 per cent

6. Northern Territory - 5 per cent

7. South Australia - 3 per cent

Top 10 destinations

1. Surfers Paradise