Tourism can play its part in Hunter recovery
Peak tourism industry group TTF Australia (Tourism & Transport Forum) has urged Australians to keep holidaying in the Hunter once the region recovers from last week’s devastating storms.
New domestic tourism figures show that day visitors spent $405 million in the Hunter over the twelve months to March 2007, more than in any other regional area in the country, with over 50% of expenditure by both overnight and day visitors in this period in regional areas.
TTF Managing Director Christopher Brown said income from tourism was crucial to regional economies, and visitors travelling to the Hunter over the next twelve months would be making a positive contribution to the rebuilding process.
“The tourism industry has played a key role in aiding the recovery of areas stricken by natural disasters, whether in regional Victoria following the bushfires, in North Queensland following Cyclone Larry or in drought-afflicted regions all over the country.”
“At such times every industry sector has to pull together.” “After the critical recovery work has been done on the ground, the best thing people planning a holiday in the Hunter could do is go through with it.”
“It is important now for the tourism industry to work with the NSW and Federal Governments to ensure that the necessary measures are taken to restore infrastructure links for the region and maintain its status as one of Australia’s top destinations.”
Mr Brown said that while the overall picture for domestic tourism is improving, the industry was still a long way from regaining the visitor number peaks recorded in 2003.
“There were 73.3 million overnight visitors in the twelve months to March, a 5% increase on the same period in 2005-06; and those visitors spent $42.4 billion, a 7% increase.”
“Interstate travel showed impressive growth of 6.8%, suggesting the continuing evolution of low-cost air travel options is paying dividends.”
“Day travel is also on the up.” “Day visitor numbers increased 5.4%, while day visitor expenditure grew 8.4% to a total of $13.5 billion.”
“However, we need to put these results in the context of the longer-term trend.” “Domestic overnight visitor numbers last peaked in 2003, at 75 million.”
“That figure must be the benchmark for industry and Government as we look to sustain the growth of the last year.”
Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
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