Record-breaking room bookings from the city to the regions

Tourism in South Australia is going from strength to strength, as the state’s regions and capital city celebrate record-breaking accommodation occupancy rates.

Latest statistics show accommodation occupancy in regional SA in March 2022 reached an all-time March high, and the second highest of any month on record.

Adelaide hotels experienced the best week on record – both pre and post pandemic – with more than 8400 rooms occupied each night of the week from Easter Sunday, while hotel occupancy across the Easter weekend was at nearly 90 per cent.

Regional South Australia has enjoyed its biggest March yet and there are more Adelaide hotel rooms filled than any other time in history. 

The strong Easter break, two consecutive long weekends and school holidays boosted Adelaide hotel occupancy for the entire month of April, making it the third highest month on record for rooms occupied. This generated a record-breaking average nightly revenue of $1.6 million – topping pre-COVID levels of $1.4 million.

This follows this week’s news Fiji Airways bring its direct international flights back to Adelaide, while Qatar Airways yesterday announced it would increase its direct flights to South Australia from three to five a week.

Latest data from the South Australian Tourism Commission shows:

• In the month of March 2022 regional accommodation occupancy got to 70% (the highest for any March on record).
• March 2022 was the second highest of any month recorded for regional SA, behind the 75% occupancy in April 2021.
• Regional SA reached 138,500 room nights occupied with revenue of $21.6 million for the month of March 2022 (the second-best results for any month on record).
• The week from Easter Sunday was the strongest week on record for room nights occupied in Adelaide hotels, with 8,400 average room nights occupied and average revenue of $1.8 million per night (it compares to 6,950 average room nights occupied and $975,000 average revenue per night for the same week in 2019).
• Easter Saturday saw Adelaide accommodation occupancy of 90%, making it the highest occupancy for a night in the CBD since the start of the pandemic
• In April 2022, on average there were 7,819 rooms occupied each night in Adelaide. This was the best result since the pandemic started and the third highest month on record.

Meanwhile Adelaide-based food event Tasting Australia celebrated above pre-pandemic ticket sales, meanwhile more business events returned to Adelaide, such as this month’s Australasian Hotel Industry Conference and Exhibition (AHICE) global conference which attracted 1,200 key hoteliers and investors to South Australia.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Tourism Zoe Bettison

It’s no secret South Australia is the best place to visit and stay – so these latest figures are not surprising.

It is, however, great news for our tourism and hospitality operators, and will only improve an already surging business confidence in South Australia.

What’s even more impressive about the latest data for our CBD, is the all-time high for rooms occupied comes after more hotels – such as Sofitel, Crowne Plaza, Eos by SkyCity, Majestic M Suites and Hotel Indigo – opened in Adelaide through the pandemic.

Quotes attributable to Eos by SkyCity general manager Jodi Brown

We’ve been thrilled with occupancy rates in general, but particularly in April which was a record-high month for us since opening in 2020. Tasting Australia and AHICE were certainly contributors to this success.

We’re delighted to report that the forecast for the coming months is also extremely promising, and that we’re seeing an increase in international guest reservations.

The flow on impact of increased occupancy in our luxury hotel is that our signature restaurants and bars also achieve higher visitation, resulting in new employment and local procurement opportunities.