Visitor numbers up but more to be done

A RECORD amount of money has been spent by visitors to Ballarat in the last twelve months, exceeding pre-COVID figures.

In the year ending March 2023, $663 million was spent according to the latest Tourism Research Australia Data.

Domestic visitor spending also surpassed the pre-COVID figures, contributing $490 million to the local economy.

There was also growth in the accommodation market, with overnight stays totalling 2.6 million people choosing to spend the night in Ballarat throughout the 12-month reporting period.

Added to that were an additional 1.9 million day trippers to the region, representing an increase of 37 per cent on the previous year.

Yet despite the increases, Ballarat is still trailing the booming numbers of other Victorian regional locations, and City of Ballarat mayor Cr Des Hudson said there is work to be done in the tourism space to help move past challenges.

“On one hand, results show increased activity across the visitor economy, but we recognise the current cost of living and workforce pressures continue to present varying challenges that require a strategic and measured approach,” he said.

“Encouraging visitors to stay longer and do more has significant benefits for the region and is something we will continue to focus our energy on.”

With the aim of attracting visitors, the City has a program of events like the Ballarat Begonia Festival that saw 65,000 people come to Ballarat in March.

A further 100,000 people are expected to visit Sovereign Hill’s Winter Wonderlights which are part of the wider Ballarat Winter Festival.

The next set of data by Tourism Research Australia for the year-ending June is expected to be released this September.