South Australia bucks domestic tourism trend
South Australia tourism has outstripped the nation with a 7.4 percent rise in domestic visitor expenditure this year, compared to zero growth nationally.
Visitor numbers to South Australia have also risen 6.1 percent and topped the nation with an increase of 7.4 percent in visitor nights, according to new National Visitor Survey statistics.
SA Minister for Tourism, Gail Gago, said the figures were especially important for regional tourism operators, “who rely so heavily on the domestic tourists who make up 93 percent of our state’s overnight visitorsâ€.
“The statistics show that the rise in domestic visitation is, in fact, being fuelled by regional tourism growth, with a hike of 7.1 per cent in overnight visitor numbers to regional South Australia,†the minister said.
“These latest results, coupled with last week’s growth in international visitor expenditure, make tourism a $4.7 billion industry for South Australia, up 6.9 per cent on a year ago compared to 0.9 per cent growth nationally.â€
Nationwide, spending by domestic overnight visitors was highest in New South Wales ($12.9 billion, up 2.6%), followed by Queensland ($11.3 billion, down 1%) and Victoria ($9 billion, up 4.8%).
The highest average expenditure per night was in Melbourne (A$260), followed by Hobart and Surrounds (A$244), Adelaide (A$234), and Sydney (A$229).
Ian Jarrett
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt