MATTERS OF INTEREST

TOURISM

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (15:24): It is all happening in South Australia at the moment: all sorts of massive events are occurring and are planned, and awards and accolades are pouring in for our good state and its capital city. The evidence is mounting that this government's efforts to make South Australia and Adelaide a vibrant and engaging place are paying off.

Very recently, and much to the anger of Melbourne and Sydney residents, Adelaide was the only Australian city to be listed in Lonely Planet's top 10 cities to visit in 2014. As honourable members would know, Lonely Planet is a popular guidebook publisher and travel authority, providing travel information to people around the world. Adelaide sits at No. 9 on its list alongside such cities as Zurich, Paris, Chicago and Shanghai. Lonely Planet called Adelaide the 'perfect host city' and recognised our festivals, food, culture, wine and, in particular, how the Adelaide Oval refurbishment will create a vibrant city.

Adelaide was mentioned recently in another respected publication in late October, when the New York magazine recommended skipping Sydney for Adelaide. The article commented that Adelaide is cheaper, offers similar experiences, and has much better side trip destinations. Just this week, an article in the UK's Telegraph, by writer Mark Chipperfield, sums up Adelaide as:

...a city where you can kayak with dolphins in the morning, enjoy fine local wines at lunch and go hiking at weekends, Adelaide has it all.

We are not just winning in reports on the travel pages of international publications, we are winning in the way we promote ourselves as a destination. For example, the 'Barossa. Be Consumed.' commercial won the grand prix award at the prestigious Cannes Media & TV Awards.

The Hon. J.M.A. Lensink: That's nothing to do with you.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: No, it is to do with the South Australian government. Most people have seen the memorable ad which showcases the Barossa's food, wine and scenery. There were 719 entries from 40 countries for the award and South Australia came out on top. The ad's success has helped Barossa tourism operators who are reporting their highest visits in more than a decade. In fact, the Barossa Information Centre in Tanunda experienced its busiest July and August sales period ever.

In terms of getting more visitors here, the addition of budget airline AirAsia X means that SA is a more affordable and appealing destination to Asian markets. At the end of October, 10,000 Malaysian and Chinese travellers had already booked seats on the new Kuala Lumpur to Adelaide route operated by AirAsia X. As a result of low-cost international flights, more conferences will be held in Adelaide and there will be more family and friends visiting international students.

There is even more: the Adelaide Convention Centre and Riverbank redevelopment are contributing to making Adelaide a more appealing and better destination for conferences. As if that is not enough, South Australia's record cruise ship season started in November this year. This season, 29 cruise ships will visit South Australian ports and 67,000 passengers and crew will contribute an estimated $14.5 million in direct expenditure to the state's economy.

I know the state government has been working very hard and very closely with domestic and international cruise lines to attract more ships to our state. Passengers are coming to Adelaide to visit the McLaren Vale and Barossa wineries, the CBD, and places like Glenelg and the Adelaide Hills. This season, ships will also visit Kangaroo Island, Port Lincoln and Robe which will boost regional tourism, and 36 cruise ship visits are already scheduled for next season.

But there is more: the state government has continued its commitment to tourism in South Australia by providing $35,000 to help launch three new luxury Air Adventure Australia air safaris. Departing from Melbourne, with new itineraries to the Barossa, Clare Valley, Kangaroo Island, the Limestone Coast and the Flinders Ranges, this 11-seat luxury aircraft will take less than 90 minutes to get from Melbourne to Kangaroo Island. These air safaris will encourage Victorians and other tourists who are in Melbourne to explore South Australia in new ways.

In October this year the state government confirmed the very good news that the world champion Australian cyclist and 2011 Tour de France winner Cadel Evans will compete in the 2014 Santos Tour Down Under. Cadel's inclusion in this race will create even more interest in the event and will encourage cycling fans to go out and see him. It is estimated that this tour provides a $43 million boost to South Australia's economy each year, and it is anticipated that it will increase with Cadel's appearance.

Of course, in mentioning the vibrancy and colour of our city, I would be remiss not to mention some of our ongoing and usual events such as the recent Credit Union Christmas Pageant which is estimated at attracting over 300,000 people to our city. This government's proactive hard work in creating a vibrant state and vigorously promoting what it has to offer is paying massive dividends.