THE South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC) believes the Limestone Coast is poised to bounce back quickly from COVID-19 on the back of strong 2019 visitation numbers.
The Limestone Coast region was South Australia’s fourthmost visited area by intrastate travellers in 2019 – a 23pc increase on 2018 – which industry leaders believe positions the region well to capitalise on tourism during the restrictive environment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Contributing around $369m to the state’s tourism economy annually, early indications suggested the region was trending toward another 12-month bumper period before travel restrictions brought visitor numbers to a standstill.
Positive signs remain according to recent statistics, including a 73pc increase in visitation to southaustralia.com.au compared to the same period last year following Premier Steven Marshall’s announcement of the road map to ease COVID-19 restrictions.
As a result, senior members of the state’s peak tourism body have toured the Limestone Coast this week to act as the sounding board for businesses in the sector, which has been heavily impacted by the pandemic.
Commission chair Andrew Bullock and chief executive Rodeny Harrex believe despite some challenges, the region is well-positioned to recover quickly from the pandemic.
“Our story-telling will be aimed at getting people out and about in our state and we think the Limestone Coast is very well-positioned for that,” Mr Harrex said.
“There is interest, there is demand and we believe this resilient sector can bounce back strongly, particularly in this region.”
With intrastate travel now encouraged and the border still closed, Mr Bullock said there had never been a better time for the region to capitalise on the Adelaide market.
“Because of the way the COVID-19 pandemic has been controlled in this state, we have got the opportunity to see people travel around the state more broadly,” he said.
“There’s a significant opportunity for the Limestone Coast because it is a little bit further away from Adelaide, it can attract people to come and potentially book a longer stay.
“The economic driver into the local community can be significant because you are getting that extra spend from those people who are staying that little bit longer.”
According to state tourism data, South Australians spend $3.3b on international annually but with out-of-country travel off the table for the forseeable future, Mr Harrex believes it presents a huge opportunity for the region.
“If we can convert even just a portion of that into getting out and about in our own state then that is a massive positive,” he said.
“I guarantee you some of those 121,000 people who have visited our website are part of the group that have spent $3.3b overseas, so that’s who we’re targeting and we’ll be challenging them to look a little further than Adelaide to the places like the Limestone Coast.”
Earlier this week, The Border Watch revealed RecFish SA was championing a proposal to refill the Leg of Mutton and Brownes lakes in the crater lakes precinct to encourage recreational fishing in the area and provide an attraction for residents and visitors like.
Mr Bullock said proposals that added to the experience of visiting the region were a positive.
“You already have a variety of different tourism opportunities or visitor experiences here – from the Coonawarra right through to things on the coast,” he said.
“Anything that gives an opportunity for someone to come and experience something they may not have been able to previously should be encouraged.
“Great product and great experience anywhere within the Limestone Coast that can be activated is a positive.”
