Tourism levels are rising across SA and have almost matched the spending of tourists entering the state pre-pandemic, according to a survey.
The net position of the South Australian economy in April was the third strongest performance since the emergence of COVID-19, with May and December last year being the two strongest performances.
The National Visitor Survey has revealed 12 months to March, the spending from interstate tourists in SA had reached a post-pandemic record of $1.8 billion.
State Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison said the survey results demonstrated the range of experiences SA offered.
"To have visitor expenditure hit 95 per cent of pre-COVID levels is remarkable and points to the strength of our offerings here in SA," she said.
Ms Bettison said the tourism results reflected the recent achievements of the state and how popular the events held across SA had been.
"We're seeing strong interstate visitation and continued interest from locals, and this is on the top of the recent boost in aviation, the record accommodation occupancy rates, and the fantastic events being held right across our city and regional SA," she said.
Despite having room for growth, Ms Bettison insisted the tourism numbers in SA was looking positive for the future, after the travelling challenges prompted by the pandemic.
"There's no doubt we've still got some way to go, but the data consistently shows that tourism in SA is on the right track, it's recovering strongly, and it is leading the nation in many ways," she said.
Federal Tourism Minister Don Farrell said the survey results reflected the strong work of those in the tourism industry, with SA remaining committed on increasing its tourism figures.
"The April figures are welcome news for SA's hard working tourism operators," he said.
"We know there are still challenges and much work ahead, yet we're getting on with the job."
An SA Tourism Commission spokesperson said the visitor expenditure in April 2022 in Adelaide was $280 million, which was down two per cent on April 2019, with the visitor expenditure in regional South Australia being $282 million, which was up 37 per cent on April 2019.
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Regional Development Australia - Eyre Peninsula tourism manager Annabelle Hender said a love of nature was a key motivation to explore the EP.
"The past two years have seen a shift towards people wanting to have immersive experiences in nature, which Eyre Peninsula most certainty offers," she said.
To ensure their tourism numbers remain high, Ms Hender said the EP must remain educated on what experiences the tourists aspired to have.
"Having a good understanding of who are visitors are, why they travel to the EP and what kind of experience they want to have, and understanding satisfaction levels, will ensure our tourism sector is best placed to provide a positive experience and attract quality visitors in the future," she said.
Part of the increased spending could be linked to longer stays, says central market tours operator Mark Gleeson.
"People are staying longer and are keen to explore more of SA, from bars and restaurants to our wineries in our regions," he said.
