DESPITE a record high Australian dollar making the country an expensive tourist destination, Margaret River had one of its best starts to a winter season.
Latest Australian Bureau of Statistics Survey of Tourist Accommodation figures show the Augusta-Margaret River Shire had a bumper three months to June, compared to the same quarter in 2010.
The survey showed occupancy at Margaret River hotels, motels and serviced apartments increased from 43.5 per cent, in the same period last year, to 46.3 per cent this year.
Accommodation operators were able to lift room rates, because of the increased tourist traffic, by 3.4 per cent to an average of $153.64 per room – bringing more than $2.5 million into the local economy – and to employ an extra 175 people.
Glenys Buchholz, who owns Vintages Accommodation in Margaret River, said the boost in visitors was hard to ignore.
“It has been the best winter we have had so far,” she said. “We have not been below 80 per cent (occupancy) since last year.”
Augusta-Margaret River Tourism Association chief executive officer Simon Ambrose said he believed the winter trend would continue into summer.
“This is a good result for the Margaret River region, given the tough economic climate that we are currently operating in,” he said. “The AMRTA and its members have had steady figures during this period, but haven’t noticed a significant jump compared to previous years.
“Many tourism operators in the region – not just accommodation, have had a difficult winter, so this is an interesting statistic to see come through, hopefully showing a new trend for tourism, not just in the South West but Australia wide.
“Our forward bookings for the upcoming season are looking steady and the AMRTA and its members are looking forward to a busy summer season, in particular the Christmas and New Year period.
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“There’s no reason to doubt that Margaret River will be as busy as it usually is during this peak period.”
Tourism Council WA chief executive officer Evan Hall also welcomed the statistics.
“The figures showed a partial recovery in local tourism in Margaret River after the disappointing season in 2010,” he said. “This is good news, not just for local hotels but for all the shops, restaurants and cafes in town that benefit from the tourist trade.”
n The ABS Survey of Tourist Accommodation is released quarterly and covers all accommodation with 15 rooms or more.
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