Tourism in fit state
FITNESS and adventure travellers have pumped millions of dollars into Townsville’s economy, with many adding a holiday onto their trip.
Townsville plays host to a number of high profile endurance events including triathlon, running, cycling and ocean swims.
Townsville Enterprise Tourism and Events director Bridget Woods said the region was ideally suited for capturing the fitness and adventure tourism market.
“Especially during the winter months, when most of the events are held, it is the perfect weather,” Ms Woods said.
“The region has a strong calendar of events that surround the tourism and fitness sector.”
Ms Woods said Townsville had a long list of fitness and adventure- based events organised this year.
Fitness and adventurebased events included the McDonalds Townsville Running Festival; the Townsville Triathlon Festival; the Ross River Rush; the Adventurethon Demolish Townsville; the Magnetic Island Triathlon; the Great Island Trek, the Magnetic Island to Townsville swim and the Paluma Push.
“There is a real demand, and a growing one at that, for unique endurance events that people can work towards fitness- wise,” she said. “Most of the fitness and adventurebased events held in Townsville have a real family- focused feel about them as well.”
Tourism and Events Queensland commissioned research, conducted by Strategic Facts, polled 3695 domestic and international participants in Queensland’s endurance and fitness events.
It found 69 per cent of international and interstate participants took a post- event holiday in Queensland, with almost 80 per cent rating the holiday extremely highly.
Ms Woods said fitness tourism was consumer driven.
“We know that visitors are looking for that sort of experience and we know that it is a good fit for our region,” she said. “The region has such a broad range of quality fitness events that there really is something for everybody.”
Ms Woods said Singapore was another largely untapped market for fitness tourism.
“When we were in Singapore ( in January) we found that fitness tourism was a big opportunity in that market as well,” she said.
“The Singaporean Government has a health target for their citizens and running events are really important for them … and a new market for us to tap into as well.”