Region reaps tourism boom as a ‘destination’

SOUTHERN Downs tourism operators have recorded one of their best years yet, with visitor numbers surging a whopping 75 per cent.

According to Southern Downs Regional Council, more than 3600 extra visitors stopped into Warwick and Stanthorpe visitor information centres between October and December 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. But those staggering numbers could be even higher, according to local accommodation owners.

At Country Style Caravan Park, owner Kim Thorburn believed the true increase could be between 80 and 100 per cent.

Mr Thorburn said international and state closures had propelled the region as a Queensland hotspot.

“A lot of people had only just passed on the area, never bothering to stop because they didn’t see Stanthorpe as a destination,” she said.

“We’re getting a lot more repeat visitors now, who enjoyed it and are coming back and recommending it to friends.

“We’re being seen as a destination rather than a transit stop.”

With one of the first strong sunflowers crops in two years, Warwick Visitor Information Centre fielded more than 1200 sunflower queries in December and January.

According to SDRC, the first mention of sunflowers posted to the council’s Southern Downs and Granite Belt Facebook page on November 19 reached more than 130,000 people.

In January, nearly 20 per cent of online tickets registrations for Warwick’s Great Australian Bites festival came from outside the region.

Southern Queensland Country Tourism CEO Peter Homan said there were signs the industry could reap this boom for three to five years.

“The next three years are predicted to be very strong for the Granite Belt and Warwick but after that, the challenge is competing with the bigger players in short-break stays.”

Mr Homan said council projects such as the proposed sunflower viewing platform and better marketing would help the region keep its title.