Adelaide Marriott open, regional events supported, & more…
Following the success of the pilot program, expressions of interest are now open for the second intake of our Experience Development Program. Tourism businesses committed to investing further in tourism activity such as developing innovative, bookable experiences are encouraged to apply by 20 September.
The pilot program received overwhelming positive feedback from the 18 tourism businesses which took part – namely on the format, content and workshop takeaways. Participating operators reported that the peer-to-peer learning aspect was also valuable, as operators learned from each other and formed new business relationships and collaborative partnerships.
An exciting milestone was reached last month when the 5-star luxury Adelaide Marriott Hotel officially opened its doors to guests. The $200 million hotel is set to boost the state’s economy and marks the first Marriott hotel to open in SA by what is the world’s largest hotel company.
The opening comes as accommodation in greater metropolitan Adelaide experienced its strongest first-half of the year, with five of the six months seeing the number of room nights occupied reach monthly all-time highs. March was the strongest on record for any month in history, with an average 8,687 rooms occupied each night, while April recorded the strongest monthly revenue.
A total of 37 regional events and festivals across SA have received a financial boost in the latest round of our Regional Event Fund. The varied events will take place from 1 September 2024 to 31 August 2025, helping entice visitors to the regions.
This week cruise industry leaders will gather in Adelaide for the Australian Cruise Association's annual conference. The conference from 4-6 September brings key decision makers in the cruise sector, providing an opportunity to showcase why South Australia remains a must-have destination on any cruise itinerary.
Good news for our international market, as it has been confirmed South Australian universities will be exempt from Federal Government caps on the number of foreign student enrolments. International students help to attract their visiting friends and relatives, and are an important component of our international market.
The Tasting Australia Spirit Award winners for 2024 have been announced, with South Australia’s own distillers taking home eight of the 11 awards. A testament to the growing reputation of the awards, the total 215 entries received for this year’s competition represented every state and territory for the first time.
Applications are now open to host an associated event in the Santos Tour Down Under in January and/or Tasting Australia presented by RAA Travel in May. This is an opportunity to showcase your unique offerings to the influx of visitors travelling across SA for these beloved events.
Emma Terry
Chief Executive Officer
South Australian Tourism Commission