By JOLENE OGLE
TOURISM is the single biggest contributor to the local economy, boasting more than 8000 full-time jobs and over 14,000 people employed in the industry.
This year, Noosa got its mojo back, with over $40 million worth of investment in new products and redevelopment towards the end of 2013 catching the eye of media and visitors.
Since then, there has been a continuing flow of new tours, restaurants and retailers, plus a revitalisation of existing accommodation and take-up of commercial spaces in visitor hubs from Hastings Street to Noosa Marina and beyond.
Noosa’s leading tourism body, Tourism Noosa, have been the driving force behind the buzz about Noosa with new campaigns and marketing tools driving interest in the stunning region.
The Tourism Noosa “Welcome to Noosa” initiative won silver at the Queensland Tourism Awards and moved into a new stage, offering awards for outstanding tourism operators, as voted by our visitors.
Throughout the year, Tourism Noosa also hosted more than 50 media teams and posted a record media value of over $21 million, boosting the reach of Noosa tourism through print, TV and digital platforms into the international market.
Social media engagement has also surged with Noosa hosting some of Australia’s top digital opinion leaders, bloggers, Instagrammers and Tweeters, who collectively have millions of follower in the areas of travel, food and fashion.
The latest independent report into the performance of social media platforms shows Visit Noosa has the highest Facebook engagement rate compared with other destinations including Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Brisbane and Australia.
Noosa has also increased in appeal to international visitors, with international spend equating to 85 per cent of the total international spend across the Sunshine Coast.
Tourism Noosa has also recorded a record year for memberships, with more than 500 members from the tourism industry now making the most of regular networking nights.
The new year is looking to set the bar even higher with a full list of calendar events already planned for Noosa, visitors and the local community.
