April 19, 2023
The Southern Queensland Country tourism area – which includes the South Burnett – recorded almost 2.5 million domestic overnight visits in the year to September 2022, Toowoomba Mayor Paul Antonio said on Monday.
Mayor Antonio, who chairs Toowoomba Regional Council’s Economic Development Committee, said the figures showed the area was bouncing back stronger than before the pandemic.
The domestic overnight visits exclude more than 3.7 million daytrips in the same period.
Southern Queensland Country tourism statistics for the year to September 2022 (compared with pre-pandemic levels) include:
- Domestic overnight expenditure grew 33.8 per cent,
- The number of people staying for one night or more increased by 11.8 per cent, and
- The number of nights for accommodation increased by 8.9 per cent.
Southern Queensland Country also includes the Toowoomba region, Southern Downs, Western Downs and Lockyer Valley.
Mayor Antonio was speaking after the arrival of Bonza Airline’s inaugural Melbourne to Wellcamp flight.
He congratulated Bonza, the Wagner Corporation and the team at the airport for making the new flights a reality.
“More frequent and convenient air travel links open new business and tourism opportunities for residents and visitors,” Mayor Antonio said.
“Bonza’s arrival, along with their additional flights from Wellcamp to Townsville and the Whitsunday Coast, is a positive sign for the growth of our tourism market.
“The new flights will offer residents across a broad area of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales affordable options for business and leisure trips to these new markets.
“Equally as important are the new opportunities for passengers from these destinations to travel and stay across the Toowoomba region and other parts of Southern Queensland Country.”
