Tourism numbers down but spending up

WHILE tourism levels in Phillip Island continue to rebound since lockdowns, they are still 12 per cent below pre-COVID numbers for domestic visitors according to recent surveys. 

Results from the National Visitor Survey (NVS) and results from the International Visitor Survey (IVS) for the year ending September 2022, have indicated strong recovery in Victoria’s visitor economy.

Domestic visitors to Phillip Island totalled 2.1M in the year ending September 2022, a 17% increase from 1.8 million the year prior. 

However, this number remains 12% below the pre-COVID number of visitors in the year ending September 2019.

Domestic daytrip visitors to Phillip Island increased by 6% to 1.1M in the year ending September 2022. 

This is a 15% decrease in the pre-pandemic daytrip visitor numbers (1.3M) compared to the year ending September 2019 results.

Domestic overnight visitors to Phillip Island increased by 32% to 1M in the year ending September 2022. 

This is an 8% decrease in the pre-pandemic daytrip visitor numbers (1 million) compared to the year ending September 2019 results.

Visitor nights totalled 3.2 million nights with each overnight visitor spending an average of 3.2 nights in the region, a 24% increase year-on-year and 15% increase from pre-pandemic levels in the year ending September 2019.

Tourism expenditure in Phillip Island has increased, despite visitor numbers having not yet recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Total expenditure for the region was $665M, a 40% (plus $189 million) increase year-on-year and a 27% (plus $139M) increase from the year ending September 2019 results.

Domestic daytrip spend in Phillip Island increased by 76% to $138M in the year ending September 2022. Daytrip spend in Phillip island has fully recovered and surpassed the year ending September 2019 results (plus 4% or plus $5M). This equates to $123 per domestic day trip visitor.

Domestic overnight spend in Phillip Island experienced a year-on-year increase (+33% to $528 million), equalling $515 spent per domestic overnight visitor and $161 per visitor night. This exceeds the year ending September 2019 results (plus 34% or plus $135 million).

For the purposes of this research, the Phillip Island region is defined as French Island, Phillip Island and Bass Coast (Wonthaggi to Inverloch). No data was collected for international visitation for the region.

Total tourism expenditure in Victoria was $26.5 billion in the year ending September 2022, representing an increase of 95% compared to the year ending September 2021 which had limited travel due to restrictions. 

Intrastate overnight spend has fully recovered and has well exceeded the pre-COVID September 2019 level (plus 22%), as well as strong growth in domestic daytrip spend which was also above pre-pandemic levels (plus 9%). 

Overall total tourism spend was back to 84% of the pre-pandemic result.