Tourists Spend Big in Australia’s Top Vacation Destinations
Australians have flocked to their favorite seaside towns during the holiday break, boosting the average tourism spend in major hotspots by 130 percent.
Hotels, pubs, and service stations all benefited from peak holiday trade across Christmas and New Year, based on analysis of National Australia Bank (NAB) payments figures.
Noosa, a popular getaway spot on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, and Jervis Bay, a coastal town three hours south of Sydney, were among the 17 fan favorites.
New South Wales (NSW) tourism hotspot experienced the strongest spike in money spent in restaurants and bars, up 300 percent.
South Australian seaside gem Robe saw the biggest increase in accommodation spend, up 714 percent compared to normal trade.
In Lakes Entrance, a beach town in Victoria’s east, money spent on hotels, motels, and caravan parks soared 242 percent during the fortnight starting Dec. 21.
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Service stations in Busselton, Western Australia, saw the biggest increase—up 572 percent—as Australians hit the road for the holidays.
Nerida Baker, who operates the only food and beverage outlet at the Ballina Byron Gateway Airport, noted a lot of activity during Schoolies celebrations that remained busy through Christmas.
“We always plan ahead for this busy period, streamline procedures, hire more staff—especially casuals and juniors—and my husband Jake and I jump in to assist the team,” said the Beach Grill and Salt Bar operator.
NAB business director and small business executive Krissie Jones mentioned that local economies often depend on the injection of summer holiday spending.
“The data also highlights the ongoing trend of holidaying domestically as Australians make careful spending choices to manage the higher cost of living and avoid fluctuations in overseas exchange rates,” she added.
Three-quarters of the 2011 Australians surveyed by the Tourism and Transport Forum before the holidays stated they would be celebrating New Year’s Eve in the town they reside in.
Another 13 percent planned to stay within their own state, while eight percent intended to travel interstate.
Other tourism hotspots identified by NAB included Merimbula, Batemans Bay, and Byron Bay in NSW, and Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads in Queensland. Victorian towns like Lorne and Rye, Western Australia’s Margaret River, along with Tasmanian towns Swansea and St Helens, and South Australia’s Kingscote and Victor Harbor were also on the list.
