Tourism spend on Sapphire Coast increased by 26 per cent

They were told by Rhys Treloar of Sapphire Coast Destination Marketing there had been 1.060 million visitors to the Sapphire Coast in the last financial year, a figure that was up by 32 per cent of the previous year. Those visitors spent $488 million on the Sapphire Coast, an increase of 26 per cent of the previous year, Mr Treloar said.

Associate director of regional conferencing at Destination NSW Mitchell Gunn said regional NSW was key to the future tourism economy with a goal of $25 billion and - in what must be music to Club Sapphire's ears - regional conferencing was a key part of achieving the strategy.

Mr Gunn said with an average per night spend of $426 and most of it taking place in off peak and mid week times, business events were big business.

There was the added bonus. he said that over 60 per cent of business event attendees returned as leisure guests.

"Five star hotels are not necessary, it's more about the experience. There are opportunities for small corporate groups," Mr Gunn said.

Conferencing was now about "an experience of richness and substance" something he felt could be provided on the Sapphire Coast.

Jenny Robb of Destination Southern NSW said Eden was leading the way in regional port development with 54 ships booked to stop at Eden in 2025/26.

Ms Robb also said with the Sapphire Coast becoming a mountain bike Mecca, Derby in Tasmania, would be "shaking in its boots" about the effect the Sapphire Coast could have on its business.

By February 2024 all inbound airline seats to Australia would be back to 100 per cent and domestic seats would be at 104 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, Domininc Mehling of Tourism Australia told the audience.

The Sapphire Coast Tourism Industry Briefing included a Sapphire Coast Product Showcase and individual updates from Nine Circles Distillery, Gravity Mountain Biking, Navigate Expeditions, North of Eden Gin and the South Coast Centre of Excellence.