International tourist visitors increase to almost 300,000
The Sunshine Coast has recorded another strong increase in international arrivals with 8.2% growth to 294,000 in the year to September 2017.
The Sunshine Coast has recorded another strong increase in international arrivals with 8.2% growth to 294,000 in the year to September 2017.
Statistics released by Tourism Research Australia in the latest International Visitor Survey (IVS) showed that the Sunshine Coast international visitor growth (8.2%) topped the Australian growth figure (7.1%), was higher than the overall Queensland rate (3%) and individual destinations such as Gold Coast (4.2%), Brisbane (4.6%) and TNQ (1.5%).
Some key international visitor statistics for the year to September 2017 included:
- New Zealand remained the largest international market with 65,000 arrivals
- UK visitation up 7.3% to 57,000
- Germany up 24.2% to 39,000
- Scandinavian countries up 31.8% to 15,000
- Canada up 10.4% to 12,000
- US down 2.4% to 20,000
However shorter visits and an increase in stays in unregulated premises meant that visitor expenditure on the Sunshine Coast didn't keep pace with arrivals.
Visitor expenditure declined 11.9% to $235.6 million.
Visit Sunshine Coast CEO Simon Latchford said the impressive growth in visitor arrivals from Europe was a direct result of the major marketing campaigns in Europe at the start of the year, with increases recorded despite falls in the Euro and Pound against the Australian dollar since the start of 2016.
Full details of the International Visitor Survey results can be viewed at https://www.tra.gov.au.