Worth a visit ... Montalto Winery & Olive Grove at Shoreham on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula. Picture: Supplied
THE tourism boom being experienced around the country is favouring metropolitan areas, prompting Federal Tourism Minister Richard Colbeck to urge holiday-makers to visit regional areas this summer.
Whereas capital cities are enjoying record occupancies and big gains in visitor spending, the spoils are not being shared with their country cousins.
The recent State of the Industry report by Tourism Research Australia showed capital city hotels average 76.4 per cent occupancy last year compared with 53.8 per cent for those in the regions, down 2.2 per cent on the previous year.
Stunning ... Queen Mary Falls on the Darling Downs. Picture: Tourism and Events QueenslandSource:Supplied
Total takings from accommodation also dropped in the regions — down 2.7 per cent to $3.5 billion.
And regional tourism operators saw average yield fall 2.8 per cent to $78 a room a night, compared with an increase of 0.6 per cent to $138 across all capital cities.
In places like the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, visitor expenditure fell from $108 a day, to $88, and on the Darling Downs, spending went from $141 to $100 a day.
Perfect ... Sun kissed Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast. Picture: Megan Slade/ News Corp AustraliaSource:News Limited
Other destinations to experience a downturn in spending were the Blue Mountains ($83 to $75), Fleurieu Peninsula south of Adelaide ($84 to $78) and the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria ($91 to $79).
CEO of Tourism Accommodation Australia Carol Giuseppi said areas that did well during the resources boom were suffering the most, including regional Western Australia and parts of Queensland.
Majestic ... The Three Sisters and Mount Solitary seen from Echo Point, Katoomba, in the NSW Blue Mountains. Picture: News Corp AustraliaSource:News Limited
“The TRA report identifies that visitors are travelling to regional areas in greater numbers but are staying with friends and relatives or are using unregulated accommodation. Hotels, which are the lifeblood of many regional and remote areas, have missed out,” said Ms Giuseppi.
“While many regional locations do well on weekends or during holiday periods, they have been hit badly by reduction in business travel and conferences, and that affects hotels’ Monday to Friday business, which is seriously affecting profitability.”
Sight to see. Mornington Peninsula — goats at Main Ridge Dairy. Picture: Tourism VictoriaSource:Supplied
Federal Tourism Minister Richard Colbeck said Australians should consider visiting regional areas in the upcoming summer holidays.
“Get out and see regional Australia and enjoy some of our greatest attractions,” said Senator Colbeck.
“Just do it safely.”
Ms Giuseppi said TAA would continue to lobby governments for more “regional dispersal” of funding for infrastructure and tourism and events marketing.
“Regional NSW and many other regional areas of Australia require urgent assistance if they are to benefit equally from tourism opportunities,” she said.
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