Published Friday, 14 December, 2007 at 10:33 AM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
Queenslanders flock to the Whitsundays
Australians continue to flock to the Whitsundays for holidays with Queenslanders leading the charge, Tourism Minister Desley Boyle announced today.
Ms Boyle said the latest National Visitor Survey results showed the Whitsunday region received abut 400,000 domestic overnight holiday visitors for the year to September 2007 – up 15 per cent on the past year.
“70 per cent of all domestic overnight visitors to the Whitsundays were on holiday and the total number of domestic overnight holiday nights spent in the Whitsunday region increased by 4 per cent to 1.8 million compared with the previous year,” she said.
“Queenslanders especially are enjoying a break in this part of the State, with the number of intrastate holidaymakers increasing by 36 per cent to 278,000 visitors.
“Intrastate holidaymakers to the region now account for 57 per cent of all domestic holidaymakers to the region.
“And who can blame them? With excellent air access to a number of different ports, 74 sparkling islands and exciting Airlie Beach and the mainland, there’s many reasons Queenslanders would want to spend their holidays here.
”While the region is flush with natural beauty, tourism operators realise they can’t afford to rest on their laurels and - in partnership with Tourism Whitsundays and Tourism Queensland - they work extremely hard to continue attracting visitors.”
Ms Boyle said the Whitsundays was popular with business visitors.
“Business visitors to the region grew 12 per cent to an estimated 113,000 compared with the year to September 2006,” Ms Boyle said.
“Again, Queenslanders made up the bulk of business visitors, representing 75 per cent of all domestic business tourists to the region.”
Ms Boyle said overall, the region received 567,600 domestic overnight tourists in the year to September 2007 who stayed a total of 2.2 million visitor nights.
“Total spending by visitors in the region was $629 million with the average spend per night increasing by 21 per cent to $223,” she said.
“Visitors in the region spent an average of four nights and $1096 per person per stay.”
Whitsunday Domestic Tourism Snapshot (Year ending September 2007):
Total visitors: 567,600 – down 1%
Total visitor nights: 2.3 million – down 17%
Total business tourism visitors: 112,700 – up 12%
Total holiday visitors: 400,000 – up 15%
Total holiday nights: 1.8 million nights – up 4%
Total intrastate leisure visitors: 228,000 – up 36%
Total visitor spending: $629 million, down 11%
Total spending per person per night: $223 – up 21%
Total spending per person per trip: $1096– down 10%
Average length-of-stay: 4 nights – down 0.8 nights
Ends
Media contact:
Minister Boyle: 3224 2007 or 3225 1005
Tourism Queensland: 3535 5010
14 December 2007
Ms Boyle said the latest National Visitor Survey results showed the Whitsunday region received abut 400,000 domestic overnight holiday visitors for the year to September 2007 – up 15 per cent on the past year.
“70 per cent of all domestic overnight visitors to the Whitsundays were on holiday and the total number of domestic overnight holiday nights spent in the Whitsunday region increased by 4 per cent to 1.8 million compared with the previous year,” she said.
“Queenslanders especially are enjoying a break in this part of the State, with the number of intrastate holidaymakers increasing by 36 per cent to 278,000 visitors.
“Intrastate holidaymakers to the region now account for 57 per cent of all domestic holidaymakers to the region.
“And who can blame them? With excellent air access to a number of different ports, 74 sparkling islands and exciting Airlie Beach and the mainland, there’s many reasons Queenslanders would want to spend their holidays here.
”While the region is flush with natural beauty, tourism operators realise they can’t afford to rest on their laurels and - in partnership with Tourism Whitsundays and Tourism Queensland - they work extremely hard to continue attracting visitors.”
Ms Boyle said the Whitsundays was popular with business visitors.
“Business visitors to the region grew 12 per cent to an estimated 113,000 compared with the year to September 2006,” Ms Boyle said.
“Again, Queenslanders made up the bulk of business visitors, representing 75 per cent of all domestic business tourists to the region.”
Ms Boyle said overall, the region received 567,600 domestic overnight tourists in the year to September 2007 who stayed a total of 2.2 million visitor nights.
“Total spending by visitors in the region was $629 million with the average spend per night increasing by 21 per cent to $223,” she said.
“Visitors in the region spent an average of four nights and $1096 per person per stay.”
Whitsunday Domestic Tourism Snapshot (Year ending September 2007):
Total visitors: 567,600 – down 1%
Total visitor nights: 2.3 million – down 17%
Total business tourism visitors: 112,700 – up 12%
Total holiday visitors: 400,000 – up 15%
Total holiday nights: 1.8 million nights – up 4%
Total intrastate leisure visitors: 228,000 – up 36%
Total visitor spending: $629 million, down 11%
Total spending per person per night: $223 – up 21%
Total spending per person per trip: $1096– down 10%
Average length-of-stay: 4 nights – down 0.8 nights
Ends
Media contact:
Minister Boyle: 3224 2007 or 3225 1005
Tourism Queensland: 3535 5010
14 December 2007