Queensland’s Outback hot with holiday makers

The Outback is increasingly emerging as a popular holiday destination, particularly with fellow Queenslanders, Tourism Minister Desley Boyle announced today.

Ms Boyle said the latest National Visitor Survey results for the year to September 2007 showed the Outback attracted an 8 per cent increase in Queensland leisure visitors compared with the previous year.

“Queensland’s Outback is proving increasingly popular with Queenslanders with 237,000 Sunshine State residents visiting the region in the past year for leisure,” she said.

“Queensland’s Outback continues to evolve and mature as a destination. Whether you are in the south west, central west or north west, there’s an experience and adventure for everyone.

“Our Outback operators work extremely hard to provide experiences and memories which linger long after the holiday itself has ended.”

In the year to September 2007, the Outback received 364,800 domestic overnight leisure visitors – up 9 per cent on the past year.

Seventy per cent of all domestic overnight visitors to the Outback were there for leisure over the year to September 2007, with intrastate holiday makers accounting for 65 per cent of the market.

The Outback received 519,200 domestic overnight visitors in the year to September 2007, who spent 2,361,600 domestic visitor nights.

The average length of stay for domestic overnight visitors to the Outback increased slightly over the year to average 4.5 nights.

Outback Domestic Tourism Snapshot (Year ending September 2007)

Leisure Tourism – 364,800 visitors – up 9%
Leisure Tourism – 1,636,000 visitor nights – up 34%
Visitation – 519,200 visitors – down 6%
Visitor nights 2,361,500 – down 3%
Business Tourism – 125,500 visitors – down 28%

Ends
Media contact:
Minister Boyle: 3224 2007
Tourism Queensland: 3535 5010
14 December 2007