Growth region for tourists
Beaten by the Tropics and Reef
THE Southern Queensland Country region, which takes in Toowoomba, was one of only three areas in Queensland that recorded record visitor numbers in the past 12 months.
Southern Queensland Country Tourism CEO MaryClare Power said the data, released in the Tourism Research Australia National Visitor Survey yesterday, showed domestic visits were up 10.1 per cent to 2,066,000 visitors in the 12 months to June.
The only tourism areas that had higher visitor growth were Tropical North Queensland and the Southern Great Barrier Reef. Major tourism areas such as the Gold Coast lost visitor numbers.
Ms Power said it probably was not a case of visitors shunning the coast for Toowoomba.
“It’s great to look at the data in isolation and get excited, but it’s the three-year trend that gives us greater pictures,” she said.
She said the visitations for one night or more in the threeyear trend were up about 3.1 per cent, while overnight expenditure was up 11.9 per cent.
Ms Power said while large events like the Carnival of Flowers and the Stanthorpe Apple and Grape festival played a huge role in attracting tourists to the region, smaller events also attracted visitors.
“While Jumpers and Jazz, Apple and Grape and carnival make huge impact, it’s the little ones and the ones that aren’t as well-known that also drive that visitation and bring people into the region,” she said.
“Things like the Jimbour Big Sky even, the Hampton Festival, the Warwick Picnic Races’ it all adds up.”