South Australian Tourism Commission expects a big year ahead for tourism

Tourism Minister Jane Lomax-Smith says the State Government is investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into campaigns throughout the next year to boost regional and city tourism and support jobs and local business.

"We expect this major focus on building tourism activity to help the State pick up from a dip in domestic tourism figures for the 12 months ending 30 June 2005 - a non-festival year in SA."

Compared with the previous year, overall domestic travellers to and within South Australia were down 9% to 5.3 million while nights were down 10 per cent to 19.7 million nights.

"There has been a fall in domestic visitor numbers as part of a national trend in most States. Reasons are varied and include cheap airfares within Australia, the strength of the Australian dollar and record levels of Australians taking overseas holidays.

"Locally, last year we had one of our busiest festival periods on record and this year we didn't have those festivals to boost visitor numbers.

"We have just launched the first of our new campaigns with our $460,000 Must See, Must Do campaign, to encourage South Australians and visiting friends and relatives to explore the State's attractions," she says.

"This campaign provides more than 200 local holiday ideas and value for money alternatives for people considering interstate or overseas holidays.

"Early next year we will launch a touring campaign to highlight the benefits of a driving holiday in South Australia. This campaign, coupled with regional tourism initiatives such as the Limestone Coast's fuel saving deal, will be a compelling package for people planning holidays.

"During Tasting Australia in October, I will reveal details of a Wine and Food campaign to encourage people interstate to take advantage of cheap flights to Adelaide to spend some time in our world-renowned wine regions.

"We are putting the finishing touches to a campaign to be launched in November to capitalise on our jam-packed events season which kicks off in January next year.

"It includes the Adelaide Bank Festival of Arts, Adelaide Fringe Festival, WOMADelaide, Clipsal 500, Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under, the 2006 Adelaide Cup Carnival, Next Generation Hardcourt Championships and the Adelaide Jacob's Creek Golf Open.

"This year's State Budget also provides funding to explore ways to boost visitor numbers during the winter season - a traditionally low period for tourism in South Australia."

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