South Australia’s non-stop events have led to a series of unexpected hotel occupancy records throughout 2024, with record-breaking performance seen in nine of the eleven months this year. The state’s continuous calendar of major events and conferences has proven to be a major drawcard, bringing millions of dollars into the local visitor economy.
In November 2024, Adelaide experienced its highest-ever monthly room nights with an average of 9,031 rooms occupied each night. This was the first instance of the room nights exceeding 9,000 per night. This boost was partially fuelled by the Test cricket at the Adelaide Oval, with 10,418 rooms occupied on Friday 6 December 2024, marking the highest-ever figure recorded for a single day.
The significant influx of visitors didn’t stop there. Adelaide’s summer event season began with high-profile events including the National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant and the VAILO Adelaide 500, alongside an increase in business events hosting over 9,500 delegates in November alone.
Looking at the broader impact throughout the year, several major events significantly contributed to the economic and job landscapes of South Australia. For instance, the Santos Tour Down Under generated $87.2 million in attendee spend and created 490 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs. The Adelaide Fringe brought in $121 million, supporting 13,553 direct and indirect jobs, while the AFL Gather Round 2024 contributed $91.6 million and supported 655 FTE jobs. Additionally, LIV Golf Adelaide boosted its contribution by 10 per cent from the previous year to $71.1 million.
As for sports, the CommBank Matildas’ sold-out match attracted 52,912 fans, and the Adelaide Thunderbirds secured the Suncorp Super Netball premiership title on home soil. Cultural events like Chihuly in the Botanic Garden generated record daily visitation for Adelaide Botanic Garden too.
“These results speak for themselves and prove once again that major events deliver for our tourism industry and economy, said Minister for Tourism, Zoe Bettison.
“The back-to-back accommodation occupancy records for most of the year demonstrate why the State Government continues to back blockbuster events such as LIV Golf Adelaide and AFL Gather Round.
“The benefits of strong hotel occupancy are felt right across the tourism and hospitality industries, with the boost to visitation helping generate valuable dollars for our restaurants, bars, and cafes.”
Shaun de Bruyn, CEO of the Tourism Industry Council of South Australia, also acknowledged the pivotal role of the events calendar.
“South Australia’s events calendar was again a cornerstone of our state’s tourism success in 2024, particularly in sustaining growth in interstate visitation and showcasing what makes South Australia an energetic and exciting destination,” said Shaun.
“Events such as Gather Round, LIV Golf, AFL football finals and the recent Christmas Test Match at Adelaide Oval have helped generate record occupancy for Adelaide hotels and injected welcomed visitor expenditure into the tills of tourism businesses.”
Looking ahead to 2025, the state is set to host another impressive lineup of events including the 25th Santos Tour Down Under, Adelaide Fringe, Adelaide Festival, WOMADelaide, Adelaide Motorsport Festival, and many more. These events are expected to further drive hotel occupancy rates and continue to make South Australia a premier destination for both domestic and international tourists. Notably, the British & Irish Lions match in July 2025 is highly anticipated.
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