Practically 840,000 guests from inside Queensland flocked to the Sunshine Coast in a three-month interval during which the area considerably outperformed rival markets, the most recent tourism information has proven.
The Coast had 837,000 intrastate guests from June 1 to September 30, in comparison with 599,000 for the corresponding quarter in 2019.
The figures, in keeping with the most recent Nationwide Customer Survey and launched by Tourism Analysis Australia, confirmed the Coast elevated by 39.7 per cent and was the perfect performing area for the quarter.
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Tony Rehal from Brisbane enjoys Fathers Day on the seashore along with his 5-year-old daughter Kyah at Mooloolaba. Image: Lachie Millard
The September quarter outcomes comparability confirmed the Gold Coast had 463,000 guests at a rise of 4.8 per cent, Tropical North Queensland had 436,000 guests at a rise of 8.7 per cent.
Brisbane, nevertheless, had greater than 1 million intrastate guests however the numbers had been 8.2 per cent decrease than 2019.
Go to Sunshine Coast believes the outcomes got here from a focused drive marketplace for folks inside 300km of the area after essentially the most profitable markets in NSW, Victoria and South Australia had been locked out.
Go to Sunshine Coast CEO Matt Stoeckel stated the coverage of focusing on an intrastate market had insulated the area from being the worst impacted by COVID-19.
“The second half of 2020 was dominated by uncertainty and disruptions brought on by COVID-19,” Mr Stoeckel stated.
“With over three million residents inside a 300km radius of the Sunshine Coast, the area switched its technique and centered on focusing on this vital drive market to alleviate the declines from interstate and worldwide sources.
“Additionally supporting the intrastate technique has been the launch of our new For Actual branding.
“This branding was developed via analysis that supplied insights into the need of Australian travellers to go to locations that supply uncrowded, natural-focused points of interest, and genuine characters and experiences.
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“The Nationwide Customer Survey statistics are an excellent indicator to us that this new model is correct on level.”
Whereas the September quarter outcomes had been a optimistic for the area, Go to Sunshine Coast acknowledged that the intrastate drive market shielded the area from a bigger fall.
General, the area fell by 3.7 per cent for the September quarter.
There have been 886,000 guests who got here to the area within the September quarter, in comparison with 920,000 in 2019.
Whereas the figures are a loss, the Coast fell by far lower than its different Queensland markets.
Brisbane fell by 42.7 per cent, the Gold Coast by 44.6 per cent, Townsville by 45.6 per cent and Tropical North Queensland by 31.7 per cent.
Mr Stoeckel stated many operators had loved a robust summer time interval however stated there was a lot nonetheless to be carried out to assist operators who had been unable to pivot to cater to a drive-only market.
