Domestic interest in holidays on the Sunshine Coast is on the rise although international arrivals to the Sunshine Coast have fallen flat, Sunshine Coast Destination Ltd has revealed.
Marketing and brand director, Veronica Rainbird, told Travel Today that figures for the September quarter had shown flat inbound visitation, despite an upturn from New Zealand on the back of the June launch of Air New Zealand's seasonal service from Auckland.
The airline recently confirmed the seasonal service will return in June this year for an extended 17-week run. To capitalise on growth opportunities from its number one international source market, SCDL has appointed a part-time representative in Auckland.
Meanwhile, domestic interest in the region is growing with the destination experiencing 2.86 million domestic overnight visitors for the quarter and an increased visitor spend accounting for 12% of all expenditure in Queensland.
While the intrastate drive market remains its main domestic source, Rainbird expects improved domestic air connectivity to significantly impact the tourism mix.
"Tiger Australia's announcement it will return to the Sunshine Coast in time for Easter is great news," she said. "Hopefully, if its successful, we'll soon see the start of Sydney-Sunshine Coast services."
