Business visitor bonanza for Mackay

Mackay is enjoying a boost in business tourism with a 52 per cent increase in business visitors to the region in the year ended September 2007, Tourism Minister Desley Boyle announced today.

Ms Boyle said the latest National Visitor Survey results showed that 308,600 business visitors made the trip to the region.

“With a number of airlines flying regularly to the region, plus new hotels opening, Mackay is an increasingly attractive destination for business travellers,” Ms Boyle said.

“The construction of the new convention centre, due to be completed in 2008, means we should see continued growth in this important sector.

“Mackay Tourism and Tourism Queensland have worked extremely hard with the industry and local community to grow this valuable market.”

Ms Boyle said overall domestic visitors to the Mackay region increased by 19 per cent to 765,400.

“Leisure visitors account for 56 per cent of the market, while the business sector now makes up 40 per cent, compared with 32 per cent last year and 28 per cent in the year ended September 2005,” she said.

“The leisure market grew by 17 per cent in the year to September 2007 to about 432,000.

“Queenslanders continued to be the largest source of Mackay’s domestic visitors with 85 per cent of domestic visitors from the Sunshine State.

“Regional Queenslanders made up 71 per cent of Mackay’s domestic market and Brisbane travellers, 14 per cent.”

Mackay Domestic Tourism Snapshot (Year ending September 2007):
Total visitors: 765,400 – up 19%
Total visitor nights: 2.58 million – down 2%
Total business visitors: 308,600 - up 52%
Total business visitor nights: 855,500 – down 5%
Total leisure visitors: 431,800 – up 17%
Total leisure visitor nights: 1.67 million – up 2%

Ends

Media contact: 3224 2007 or 3225 1005
Tourism Queensland: 3535 5010

14 December 2007