Attachment 1 - Needs Assessment Rev 0 11-11-16

2.2       Noosa and Sunshine Coast Tourism Market Overview
As a major tourism region, Noosa is subject to a highly seasonal population and the
economic implications of this on the regional economy. The following section provides a
broad overview of tourism in the Sunshine Coast and Noosa with specific reference to visitor
numbers and their contribution to the regional economy.
Tourism is both a major economic driver and an influential factor on planning regulation and
development in the Sunshine Coast region. Bordered by Inskip Peninsula in the north and
the Glasshouse Mountains to the south, the Sunshine Coast was the ninth most popular
destination by visitor numbers in Australia. In 2015-16, the region hosted around 3.4 million
domestic and international visitors, who spent about $2.2 billion. A further 6.0 million
daytrips were recorded to the region as well (Table 2.1).

Table 2.1: Visitors to the Sunshine Coast tourism region, June 2016
                                                              Average                   Average Spend
                                                  Visitor    Length of                       per Night
                                     Visitors     Nights          Stay    Expenditure               ($)
 Visitor Type                          (‘000)      (‘000)     (Nights)           ($m)
 Domestic Overnight                    3,105      11,425           3.7       $1,918.1              $168
 International Overnight                 266       2,820          10.6         $245.3               $87
 Total                                 3,371      14,245           4.2       $2,163.4              $152


 Domestic Daytrippers                  6,019             -            -         $498*     $89* (per trip)
* For 2015 calendar year, from Tourism Research Australia.
Source: Sunshine Coast Regional Snapshot, Year ending June 2016, Tourism and Events Queensland.

Although holidays were the major reason for visiting the Sunshine Coast (59% of domestic
visitors), a sizable 31% or 972,000 visitors were visiting friends and relatives as their main
reason for visit. Business visitors accounted for 7% of domestic visitors in 2015-16.
Average length of stay was just under four nights for domestic visitors and nearly 11 nights
for international visitors. Although domestic visitors spent more per night ($168), the longer
average length of stay for international visitors means that international visitors spent more
per trip ($922 versus $622).
International Visitor Survey and National Visitor Survey data generated by Tourism
Research Australia for the year to December 2015 indicate that about:
        36.2% of all visitors used friends or relatives’ property for their stay;

        28.3% stayed in a hotel, motel or similar commercial accommodation;

        12.9% stayed in a rented property (e.g. self-contained unit or house); and

        22.6% stayed in other accommodation (own property, backpacker/hostel, guest
         house/B&B, caravan, camping etc.).




                                                     5
Noosa North Shore Needs Assessment
16017 Rev 0 Draft
11 November 2016