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The Sept 2017 International Visitor Survey from Tourism Research Australia (available for download here) makes for unhappy reading for the Queensland and the TNQ region in particular.
While total international visitors to Australia rose by 7.3% for the year to Sept 2017, the increase was just 3.0% for Queensland and a very lack-lustre 1.5% increase in the TNQ region. Even more disturbingly, trip expenditures rose 9.8% for the nation as a whole, were up 2.5% in Queensland (barely keeping up with inflation), and fell by 1.3% in TNQ.
With the Sunshine State losing market share we now see just 32.9% of all international visitors coming to Queensland (the lowest level ever recorded) and TNQ’s share falling to 11.1%, which is the lowest since Dec 2011 (before the flood of Chinese visitors really took off). We are awaiting more detailed breakdown of data for TNQ from TRA (which is not published in the usual channels) and will update once we receive this from them.
The stand out performance came from Tasmania which saw total visitor numbers rise by 17% and expenditure jump by 33%. Other states and territories to do well included NSW, Victoria and the ACT (see graphic below taken from the TRA IVS).
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December 12th, 2017 at 7:07 am
Thanks Pete. Great info. We’ve really dropped the ball in tourism marketing. Tasmania is doing really well with its foodie and arts focussed advertising. I see it nearly every day at Toowong train station!
December 13th, 2017 at 1:22 am
Thanks for the comment Gene. Yes, it certainly seems like QLD is being well beaten by other Aussie destinations with the Far North doing particularly badly. We need our very won David Walsh!
December 13th, 2017 at 3:38 am
Foodie is an area where TNQ could do so much better. I have been really disappointed with the way this has evolved in TNQ. I was at the workshop some years ago where the Taste Paradise brand was formed. It was actually Charlie McKillop now the ABC Queensland Country Hour presenter who came out with that slogan. Can only say where this has gone since has been extremely disappointing.
Not being a wine area is an issue also on that and realistically the tropical fruit wine offerings just don’t cut it. However the inability of TNQ to market itself as the premium tropical food destination stands out.