Nine of first 11 months of 2024 achieved record-breaking hotel occupancy, latest data shows
It’s been a record-breaking year for tourism in South Australia – and with a jam-packed events calendar, it’s easy to see why.
Nine of the first 11 months of 2024 saw record-breaking hotel occupancy in Adelaide and surrounding areas, latest data shows.
Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison said the high occupancy rates have been driven by South Australia’s calendar of non-stop events and conferences.
Data from November showed it was the strongest month ever for monthly room nights occupied across greater metropolitan Adelaide – with an average of 9031 rooms filled each night.
It was the first month ever to average more than 9000 rooms occupied each night.
The Friday of the Adelaide Test cricket marked the strongest ever room nights occupied in Adelaide, with 10,418 rooms occupied on Friday December 6.
The Thursday night of the Test marked the seventh-strongest night on record at 10,177 rooms, and Saturday was the eighth-strongest with 10,169.
Other events this season have included the National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant and the VAILO Adelaide 500 in November.
There were also 19 conferences hosted in July, which attracted more than 9500 delegates.
Ms Bettison said the occupancy results “prove once again that major events deliver for our tourism industry and economy”.
“The back-to-back accommodation occupancy records for most of the year demonstrate why the state government continues to back blockbuster events such as LIV Golf Adelaide and AFL Gather Round,” she said.
“The benefits of strong hotel occupancy are felt right across the tourism and hospitality industries, with the boost to visitation helping generate valuable dollars for our restaurants, bars, and cafes.
“We have another fantastic line-up of events in 2025, which will no doubt help continue to fill our hotel rooms, bars, restaurants, cafes, and tours throughout the year.”
Tourism Industry Council of SA chief executive Shaun de Bruyn said South Australia’s events calendar was a cornerstone of the state’s tourism success in 2024.
“Continuing to deliver a year-round calendar of demand driving events, particularly across the winter period, and ensuring that South Australia’s events strategy expands activity and benefit into our regions remain priorities for our industry,” he said.
“Operators look forward to another big calendar of events and are optimistic that their lure and South Australia’s reputation as a premier event destination will bring an influx of domestic and international visitation and expenditure in 2025.”
He said the British & Irish Lions rugby union match in July will be a highlight of 2025 – “due to the international prestige of the tour and the rarity of these matches in Adelaide”.
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Originally published as Nine of first 11 months of 2024 achieved record-breaking hotel occupancy, latest data shows
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