Artesian Hospitality’s Gold Coast rooftop beach venue defies tourism and hospitality downturns

Australian hospitality group, Artesian Hospitality has seen its rooftop Cali Beach Club overlooking the Gold Coasts’ Surfers Paradise beach, defy COVID- induced tourism downturn to welcome half a million visitors in its first year of operation.

For context, the Gold Coast as a whole welcomed 3.3 million visitors in the year ending March 2022.

The Californian beach-club inspired venue was the first of its kind in Australia and has re-cast the mould for experiential venues on the coast. This Saturday will officially mark its first birthday.  

When Artesian Hospitality first envisioned a world-class $10 million Ibiza-style rooftop beach club with unrivalled leisure facilities, dining experiences and entertainment options - it did not anticipate a global pandemic would produce a nine-month construction delay and $3 million build-cost escalation.

But just 12 months after Artesian opened the doors to Cali Beach Club in the heart of Surfers Paradise, the venue has defied tourism and hospitality downturns to celebrate a bumper year of visitation and events.

Artesian Hospitality Founder and Managing Director Matthew Keegan notes “we broke the mould for Australian entertainment venues when we opened Cali Beach Club, delivering the Gold Coast’s first day-life pool venue and more recently - its first rooftop winter wonderland.

“The continued strong visitation we’ve witnessed despite lockdowns, outbreaks and border closures is a testament to the global standard entertainment precinct we have built; and to the local and interstate desire to have fun regardless of the unprecedented circumstance."

Hospitality and tourism were two of the hardest hit sectors by the pandemic, suffering through restrictions on mobility, physical distancing and fears of becoming infected in busy public spaces.

According to the ABS, the September 2021 to December 2021 period saw more than 116,000 Australian businesses close down - the highest number ever recorded in recent years.

Keegan added “it certainly hasn’t been the easiest period to get a new venue off the ground, but we are grateful to be out the other side of COVID and we look forward to some very exciting new opportunities on the horizon for Artesian.”

Cali Beach Club has cemented itself as a staple of the Gold Coast social scene welcoming a world class bevy of acts over the past 12 months, including Grammy-nominated music producer and international DJ Steve Aoki; Australia's #1 Female DJ three years in a row and one of the most in-demand producers, DJ Tigerlily; and ARIA Award Winning Sneaky Sound System.

In celebration of Cali Beach Club's one year milestone, Artesian Hospitality have curated a weekend-long birthday event at the venue, with multi-award-winning DJ and double Platinum producer, Will Sparks, headlining on Saturday, 14th September.

For more information on Cali Beach Club's programming and events, visit www.calibeach.com.au