In the Toowoomba, Warwick region, 10% more caravanners have visited within the last financial year making them the second most popular spot for cambers and mobile home owners. Unfortunately, the numbers of night stays have dropped by 4%
The Caravan Industry Association of Australia was studied by an ARM Newsdesk; the study revealed that tourists and campers have made 371,161 trips and stayed 916,876 nights in the Darling Downs from 2015 to 2016. The average amount spent by the tourists in the region is $152 each night—resulting to a rough figure of $139 million revenue for local businesses in the last financial year.
A 10% boost from the 2014-15 numbers. In terms of trips made, the Toowoomba, Warwick region outplayed the entire stretch of tourism in Queensland, excluding the Sunshine Coast.
According to Mary-Clare Power, Southern Queensland Country Tourism’s CEO, while she was pleased with the number of visits to the region, she was however, not “overly surprised” by the decline in the number of night stays.
“One of the challenges that some regions have is increasing the length of stay,” said Mary-Clare. “This is something that we keep talking to our partners about.”
“We encourage them to create the content that shows the visitors that there is more to do in the region than just stopping on their way through to something else.”
CIAA’s Stuart Lamont said that the campers and mobile home owners tend to be more inclined to visit regions that offered better, more attractive facilities and more activities to discover.
“Travellers look for outdoor and activity-based experiences as well as the chance to try local produce and dining venues,” he said.
“Regions that enjoy great weather and climates are always popular, given the outdoor nature of caravanning and camping, but they also need to be accessible.
“Although active retirees have the time to explore the paths less travelled, families and couples like to access destinations quickly and easily so they enjoy their holiday in the region.” – ARM NEWSDESK
Full article by Sherele Moody courtesy of The Queensland Times.
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