South Australia’s travel industry has had a seriously challenging couple of years. While the borders have opened again, the unpredictability of the current climate has seen interstate visitations drop, and bookings for local travel providers remain unstable. Leaving the state isn’t as easy as it once was either.
With people still keen explore, travel, relax, and holiday, and our local travel industry needing support to get through these tough times, it’s the perfect time to make the most of our pent up holiday needs, and enjoy the glory of our home town! There’s never need a better time to find out why South Australia was named one of the world’s top destinations for 2022.
Whether you let your inner explorer loose and check out exciting experiences right in Adelaide’s CBD, venture a little further, or support our travel industry in other ways, there’s plenty you can do to help, which will keep our industry going, ready for when we can open up to the rest of the world again.
Here’s some of the ways you can help.
1. Book ahead
Booking ahead is a great courtesy to give each business, so the travel operator can plan their month out (and stay on top of the important issue of cash flow). If you have booked, try not to cancel. They’re relying on you. That being said, if you can’t go for some reason, absolutely call up and let them know so that they can give booking to someone else. No shows are unacceptable!
2. Explore somewhere you haven’t been yet
Try exploring parts of South Australia you haven’t been to yet. It’s the best way to give advice to your friends and family, because we all know, Adelaide is all about word of mouth! Plus of course, you get the bonus of having some pretty amazing experiences, even if it’s right here in Adelaide’s CBD! You’d be surprised at how much there is to discover in the city. Start with the well-known Adelaide Oval Climb (they even do sunrise yoga on the roof now!) and you can’t go past the Adelaide Central Markets (we’re always surprised at how many people haven’t been!), but there’s so much more, including loads of incredible foodie and shopping walking tours, arts experiences, laneway gems and more.
Did you know you can hire a BBQ Buoy on the River Torrens? And have you gone on a spooky ghost tour under the fabulously ornate Adelaide Arcade? There’s so much to explore! See what’s on offer here.
3. Buy a gift card or voucher
Whether it’s for your workmates, clients, family, friends or even yourself, by sinking your cash into a gift card, it helps that tourism operator get some cash flow, which might make all the difference in this challenging environment.
With endless exciting experiences to check out that can be booked with vouchers, there’s nothing to lose (particularly now that operators and vendors have much more flexible terms for vouchers!). We suggest getting in early for birthday presents, Valentine’s gifts, and even Mother’s Day! Or if you can afford it, even get yourself a voucher to use down the track, as it really will make all the different to those tour and experience operators, and those running places to stay.
4. Get out of town with micro-holidays
The best way to enjoy a great day out, is to stay near your destination, so you can truely relax!
You don’t need to venture far from Adelaide to make the most of your Summer.
Plan an Adelaide Hills getaway, then explore the wineries, distilleries and shopping that can be found only 30 minutes from the city.
Unplug and unwind at one of four tiny home CABNs tucked in secluded serenity around the Adelaide Hills, or go glamping in the forest, or level things up a notch at SA’s most premium accommodation at Sequoia which opened last year. While Sequoia can easily be your one and only destination (they offer hikes, fine dining, cultural experiences, have a day spa and so much more), they also offer tours for their guests, which allow you to enjoy a day out having VIP experiences across nearby wine regions, before returning to your luxurious lodge for a wine by their campfire.
Or closer to the city, you could make Glenelg your destination, and live it up at the Moseley Beach Club, get pampered at a beauty salon, explore the shopping precinct and have dinner on Jetty Road.
Our tip? Make yourself a bucket list of restaurants and cellar doors you want to visit, and book your accomodation nearby. Then you can fill in your itinerary gaps around it, and voila! You have yourself a mico-holiday.
Need some ideas on where to go, or what to do? Click here.
5. Post a review
Leaving a great review about a destination, accommodation provider, tour operator or business, is one of the best gifts you can give to them. Word of mouth is incredibly powerful, and your recommendations can help drive new business to to them, and help people discover that they exist (and why they’re fabulous). Don’t underestimate the power you can have to help a business simply by dropping a review on Tripadvisor, Google or Facebook.
Help spread the word and let’s help SA’s tourism industry get back on its feet.
6. Follow and share your favourite businesses with others
Another way to help that’s just as powerful as leaving a review, is by sharing your experiences on your own social media. Now’s the time to tell them how much you’ve enjoyed your experience, by giving your travel operators a friendly shout out. Post a pic and tag them on your socials, and tell your family and friends about them. A little goes a long way. Make sure you’re following their social media channels and subscribe to their mailing list too. It’s just as important for them to be able to tell you changes to their offering as restrictions and borders change, as well as sharing their news and offers.
7. Stay local with a City Staycation
With overseas travel still off the cards, and interstate travel being pretty challenging right now, why not turn a regular ol’ week into a mini staycation in the city, or plan a long weekend at a hotel and pamper yourself!
There’s awesome accommodation on offer to suit all budgets including brand new hotels, revamped accommodation, and beautiful classics, with something for every budget.
Go all out and indulge at the new Sofitel Adelaide, Crowne Plaza or Eos by SkyCity, if you’re after gorgeous city views.
Or immerse yourself in the arts, with Adelaide’s growing collection of ‘art hotels’. There’s more affordable accommodation like the Majestic Minima Hotel, where every room is adorned with a beautiful murals, painted by local South Australian artists.
A new addition to the accommodation scene is Hotel Indigo, next to the Adelaide Central Markets, which is adorned with old Fringe and Adelaide Festival posters throughout, and the interior is a tribute to the city’s rich history colliding with modern, creative design.
The Watson in Walkerville is another art hotel, with the hotel drawing inspiration from Indigenous artist Yannima Pirkarli Tonny Watson. Watson originals and prints are spotted throughout the hotel, where you’ll also find large communal spaces enriched by splashes of desert colour, art tours, art library, art journals and there’s even a dedicated art channel.
Or maybe you’re after a week of wellness? Well, there’s plenty on offer for that too.
Click here for last minute holiday deals, things to do and places to stay.
8. Tip if you can
In these challenging times, every dollar helps. Spare some change to tell businesses you’re thankful for their friendly service and accommodating staff.
9. Be kind!
While uncertainty remains and we all juggle QR codes, hot spots, masking up and more, remember, we are all in this together. A big smile to staff, patience with businesses and being empathetic is one of the best ways to support others in all industries. Make someone’s day and be kind to one another!
10. Book a bucket list trip
While most of the above ways to help, are all pretty budget conscious, you can of course GO ALL OUT!
Take the money you were saving for the Maldives, and sink it into some local businesses instead.
There’s some pretty INCREDIBLE accommodation on offer in South Australia, plus we have some ridiculously good experiences, like the Heli Lunch, where your day begins when a limousine arrives to collect you and your party and convey you to the aircraft. Then you’re whisked away to a fabulous restaurant, where you are greeted at the door with a smile and a glass of wine. And this is only one of many incredible things you can do. Just imagine if you paired that with a stay at Kingsford Estate, which was built in 1856, and lovingly restored to become one of Australia’s finest luxury retreats – a gem nestled amongst riverbanks and rolling hills, surrounded by beautiful gum trees and the native Australian landscape.
Check out more experiences on offer in Adelaide & SA on the South Australia website here.
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