Voucher records, football firsts, regional event boost & more...

There are many wins to celebrate this week, as records are broken and milestones are achieved across our industry.

Incredible results from the first booking period for round two of our River Revival Voucher program, with the value of bookings already reaching more than $4.1 million. This tops round one’s estimated $3.1 million in total economic impact – a figure determined from a survey of voucher holders. 

And it doesn’t stop there, a second chance draw held yesterday saw unused vouchers reallocated to those who entered the ballot in June, helping drive further bookings to Murray River operators for winter and spring. With almost 6,000 vouchers redeemed in the first booking period, this number is only set to grow ahead of the second chance booking deadline of 22 August. 

In a win for regional events, our Regional Event Fund 2023-24 will support 33 events across the state. Celebrating everything from arts and sport to food and beverage, the Fund is all about driving visitors to the state’s regions and giving them reasons to linger longer and spend more, right throughout the year. 

History has been in the making in Adelaide/Tarntanya, with the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™ now well underway. There were incredible scenes ahead of the first match on Monday night as thousands of Brazil and Panama fans brought the party atmosphere. A vibrant street parade attracted media attention from across the country, while crowds packed out local pubs, the FIFA Fan Festival™, and Hindmarsh Stadium. 

It has been great to hear from local operators who saw a boost to business thanks to the history-making event, with nearby venues like The Gov welcoming more than 900 Brazilian fans ahead of the first match. 

Tonight, the second of five matches at Hindmarsh Stadium will kick off – with China PR taking on FIFA Women’s World Cup™ debutants Haiti.

As part of our ongoing efforts to recover our state’s international markets, the SATC worked with Tourism Australia to have South Australian representation at its Marketplace events held in Singapore and India over the past fortnight. The events connected SA operators from across the state to buyers from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and India, with more than 170 one-on-one appointments which promoted our state’s tourism offerings to these key international markets. 

Emma Terry
Chief Executive Officer

Read full Industry Update - 28 July 2023