The post-COVID recovery of international tourism in the Geelong region has continued, according to the annual report from the region’s peak tourism body.
Tourism Greater Geelong and the Bellarine (TGGB) reported the continued increase in overseas tourists coming to the region, with the number of visitors increasing 49 per cent from 49,000 for the year ending December 2023 to 74,000 to December 2024.
The amount of time spent in Greater Geelong by those international visitors increased by 57 per cent, while their expenditure went up from $46m in 2023 to $111m in 2024 (142 per cent).
Economic development chair councillor Trent Sullivan said the “extraordinary” and “dramatic increase” in international numbers was thanks to the efforts of TGGB staff and volunteers.
“International (tourism) is well and truly back in our region,” he said.
“There are so many businesses in our region that rely on tourism; tourism’s everyone’s business, employing over 7000 people in our region.
“894 people attended workshops and classes by TGGB, building that capacity, making sure we are ready to cater to the increasing demands and needs of the international visitors. The whole team down there does an amazing job.”
However, the gains made in international tourism did not compensate for the drop in domestic visitor expenditure from the previous year.
From 2023 to 2024, the amount of Australian tourists to Geelong stagnated, dropping 0.3 per cent from 4.533 million to 4.519 million.
However, while the amount of visitors was the same, their expenditure in the region dropped from $775m to $628m, a regression of $147m.
Councillor Andrew Katos said the domestic expenditure was “the only caution” in the report.
“That’s probably the economy and cost of living pressures on local people,” he said.
“So if we can do some more to encourage local visitors to come to our fine part of the world, that would be fantastic.
“From a financial perspective, Geelong and Bellarine Tourism ran a surplus of $178,000, which is good to be in the black.
“The important thing is that the destination in our local neck of the woods tends to be the Great Ocean Road, so the more visitors we can divert into Geelong and down to the Bellarine…the better the tourism and hospitality sector will improve.”
