Visitor spending in the Shoalhaven has seen record growth over the past five years, according to the latest data released by the Australian Government.
Tourism Research Australia’s (TRA) National and International Visitor Survey from June 2019 – 2024 reveals the spend by visitors to the region has grown by 94 per cent, injecting $1.42 billion into the local economy each year.
The growth in the visitor economy comes at a time when the annual spend by locals has decreased by 22 per cent, according to transaction data from VISA cards collected by Localis Data Company.
According to the TRA statistics, there has been a 65 per cent growth in visitors staying overnight in the region during the cooler months, or ‘off- season’, compared with a five per cent increase in nights stayed during peak season over the past 10 years.
