The Regional Tourism Boom Continues

The latest DSpark report, commissioned by the TTF, shows visits by Australian travellers surged for all top 10 regional tourism destination during the most recent summer/autumn period (December 2022 – May 2023), compared to pre-COVID.

TTF CEO Margy Osmond said despite the pandemic ending, the trend for Australians to explore their own backyard has increased.

“This data shows the boom in regional tourism wasn’t just a product of border closures but has continued well after the pandemic. More Australians than ever are choosing to holiday in their own backyard and enjoy the spectacular natural beauty of regional areas,” she said.

However, she noted the regional tourism industry faces new challenges, warning governments can’t be complacent.

“The sector is still grappling with the slow return of international visitors, as well as cost-of-living pressures and the ongoing threat of natural disasters, in a highly competitive tourism market.

“Government and industry must work together to ensure our sector thrives, including operators in regions which haven’t made this Top 10 list, to help drive employment and economic activity across Australia.”

Key Findings

The report, which analysed anonymised and aggregated mobility data to examine the movement of Australian adults across regional tourism regions (outside of capital cities) also found:

• The most popular regional spot nationally was North Coast NSW, with visitation 4.2 per cent higher than pre-COVID, and Byron Bay/Ballina the most visited area within that region. This was followed by South Coast NSW and Gold Coast in Queensland.
• The biggest growth in popularity within the Top 10 regional destinations post-COVID was the South West region in WA, namely Margaret River and surrounds, with visitation nearly 16 per cent above pre-COVID levels, followed by the Gold Coast, which was 14.3 per cent above pre-COVID levels.
• Most Australians travelling regionally stayed within their own state, for three nights on average, while the most popular destination for Australians travelling interstate was the Gold Coast.

For Australians Under 30

The biggest growth in popularity within the Top 10 regional destinations was the Gold Coast, with visitation 11.7 per cent above pre-COVID levels, followed by Central NSW (11.4 per cent above). The biggest drop in visitation for this age group post-COVID was Victoria’s Great Ocean Road, with visitation 11 per cent below pre-COVID levels.

For Australians Aged 30 to 64

The biggest growth in popularity within the Top 10 regional destinations was WA’s South West region, with visitation 18.8 per cent above pre-COVID levels, followed by the Gold Coast (17.7 per cent above pre-COVID levels).

For Australians Over 65

The biggest growth in popularity within the Top 10 regional destinations was Victoria’s Great Ocean Road, with visitation 17.8 per cent above pre-COVID levels, followed by WA’s South West region (15.1 per cent above pre-COVID levels). The biggest drop for this age group within the Top 10 regional destinations was NSW Central Coast, with visitation 5 per cent below pre-COVID levels.

“This data shows the boom in regional tourism wasn’t just a product of border closures but has continued well after the pandemic. More Australians than ever are choosing to holiday in their own backyard and enjoy the spectacular natural beauty of regional areas.”

Top 10 Regional Destinations Nationally Based on the Number of Visitors and Length of Stay:

1. North Coast (NSW)
2. South Coast (NSW)
3. Gold Coast (QLD)
4. Hunter (NSW)
5. Sunshine Coast (QLD)
6. Australia's South West (WA)
7. Peninsula (VIC)
8. Great Ocean Road (VIC)
9. Central NSW
10. Central Coast (NSW

State Breakdown: NSW

• For all Australians, regardless of age group, the most popular regional tourism destination was North Coast NSW, with Byron Bay/Ballina the most visited area within that region. Visitation was 4.2 per cent above pre-COVID levels and the average stay was 3.4 nights.
• The second most popular regional destination was South Coast NSW, with Shoalhaven (Nowra and surrounds) the most visited area within that region. Visitation was 3.1 per cent above pre-COVID levels, and the average stay was 3.1 nights.
• NSW residents preferred to stay within their own state for any regional holiday. Their top choice throughout all of regional Australia was North Coast NSW, where visitation by NSW residents was 6.7 per cent above pre-COVID levels and the average stay was 3.5 nights.
• This was followed by the South Coast (4.3 per cent above pre-COVID levels), Hunter (6.7 per cent above), Central Coast (2.1 per cent above) and Central NSW (10.9 per cent above).
• For NSW residents, the biggest growth in popularity within their Top 10 preferred regional destinations was Central NSW, with visitation nearly 11 per cent above pre-COVID levels, and Dubbo the most visited area within that region.