Domestic visitors spend up big

Submitted 17/06/2010

www.southaustralia.biz

Domestic overnight visitors to South Australia have been on a $3 billion spending spree, outperforming the national average, according to the latest National Visitor Survey (NVS) just released by Tourism Research Australia.

Tourism Minister John Rau says in addition to the positive expenditure result, the latest NVS also shows South Australia outstripped the nation in interstate holiday travel growth.

"Total domestic overnight expenditure in South Australia for the 12 months ending March 2010 was $3 billion, up 13 per cent on the previous 12-month period, while nationally, domestic overnight expenditure recorded nil growth," Mr Rau says.

"The State Government's domestic tourism campaign, Isn't It About Time, is continuing to pay dividends.

"Launched in February last year, it sells South Australia as a tourism destination to our key markets; the results for the past 12 months show our approach is clearly resonating.

"The latest spearhead of the campaign in interstate markets is the Cellar Door television commercial, which was launched in February this year.

"The commercial reclaims South Australia's mantle as the home of Australian wine. It showcases the fact our State has more than 200 cellar doors less than an hour's drive from Adelaide, and is aimed at high-yield, wine-loving east coast Australians.

"Extensive research shows that this is one of the holiday experiences our target audience desires, and it's precisely what our State delivers so well.

"We will continue communicating the best South Australia has to offer to key markets via our future marketing activities, continuing the momentum to achieve the South Australian Tourism Plan 2009-2014 target of $6.3 billion in tourism expenditure by 2014," Mr Rau says.