Island tourism in the spotlight

GOLF continues to be a major driver of tourism on King Island, a new survey reveals.

The King Island Council commissioned Roy Morgan Research to produce and present two tourism visitation reports. 

The first report, using data to April 2024, found that the island is attracting more older visitors post-Covid, while younger groups are in decline. 

King Island’s tourism remains primarily domestic, driven by visitors from Victoria and Tasmania. Holiday and business travel categories dominate the reasons for visitation, with golf being a major draw. 

While visitor satisfaction is generally high, specific improvements around infrastructure and service offerings could enhance the visitor experience and encourage more repeat visits. 

The second Insights report aims to provide further detail and analysis, based on areas of interest and King Island’s strategy looking for strategic growth opportunities. 

The key areas of analysis include visitor trends, demographics, reasons for travel, accommodation choices, and visitor satisfaction. 

The report reveals the island saw steady growth in visitor numbers in 2022 after the pandemic-related pause in 2020-2021. 

Historically, the busiest months for visitors were January, March, and November (pre-pandemic), but in 2022, the peak months shifted slightly to March, April, and November. 

There has been a notable decline in visitors aged 20-34, while the 56-64 age group has grown. Pre-Covid (2019), 22 per cent of visitors were aged 56-64, but this increased to 23 per cent post-Covid. 

Meanwhile, the younger demographic (20-34) has dropped in proportion. Men are more likely to visit for business or to play golf (with nearly 60 per cent visiting for these reasons). 

Women predominantly visit for holidays or to see friends and family. 

Almost all visitors to King Island in 2022-2023 were domestic travellers (98 per cent), with Victoria (42 per cent) and Tasmania (28 per cent) being the most common points of origin. 

This marked an increase from 2019, where these states accounted for 36 per cent and 27 per cent respectively. 

New South Wales and Queensland also contributed notable proportions of visitors, but international travel remains minimal, with only 2 per cent of visitors coming from overseas. 

Holidays are the primary reason for visiting, with 33 per cent of visitors travelling for leisure – a 9 per cent increase from 2019. Business trips (22 per cent) and visiting friends/relatives (19 per cent) are the next most common reasons for travel, with business trips heavily concentrated among Tasmanian visitors. 

Golf is a significant draw, accounting for 18 per cent of visitors. Golf tourists tend to stay in hotels and are less likely to explore other parts of the island. The average length of stay has decreased since 2015 and is now at its lowest. 

In 2022-2023, the average stay was 3.66 nights (for non-business travellers). Visitors who come to see family tend to stay the longest (4.69 nights), while holidaymakers stay 3.57 nights, and golfers average 2.95 nights. 

Most visitors (86 per cent) spend between 2-7 nights on the island. 

Hotels and motels are the most popular accommodation type (36 per cent), with visitors staying an average of three nights in these establishments. 

Self-contained units or houses account for 25 per cent of visitors, particularly appealing to holidaymakers, who stay longer in this type of accommodation (4.6 nights). 

Friends and family homes host 19 per cent of visitors, with the longest average stay (5.3 nights). 

The top attractions include Currie Township (94 per cent of visitors), Cape Wickham Lighthouse (86 per cent), and the King Island Cheese Shop (85 per cent). 

Seal Rocks and Penny’s Lagoon also rank highly. Golfers tend to focus more on the golf courses, with fewer exploring other sites. 

Self-guided activities attract 62 per cent of visitors, with recreational walks (72 per cent), lighthouse visits (68 per cent), and photography (44 per cent) being the most popular among holiday travellers. 

Only 24 per cent of visitors participated in organised activities. 

Visitors reported their experiences often exceeded expectations, particularly in terms of accommodation, attractions, and tour operators. 

Quality of service in shops and restaurants was rated more moderately, but still generally positive. 

Visitors expressed dissatisfaction with limited dining options and short restaurant operating hours.

Close to two-thirds of visitors said they would return to King Island, especially for activities like golf or to visit family.