Natural attractions lure Phillip Island visitors

The nature and wildlife experiences of Phillip Island exceed the expectations of visitors, a new survey from Tourism Research Australia has found.

Federal Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson said the survey results were impressive and would help inform further development on the island, stating "visitor satisfaction with attractions, information services and tours were all high and over half of the visitors to Phillip Island were repeat visitors and would recommend visiting to others.

"Three quarters of visitors were domestic, mostly from Victoria and nearly all visitors were self-drive and stayed one or two nights.

"The largest proportion of international visitors was from the United Kingdom and international visitors were slightly more likely to be satisfied with their visit than domestic tourists."

The Penguin Parade was the most popular attraction during the period surveyed, and almost half of the visitors also went to the Phillip Island Chocolate Factory.

While natural attractions scored high ratings on visitor satisfaction levels, the survey identified room for improvement in accommodation and food and beverage options.

It also acknowledged that an increased digital presence for local businesses would allow visitors to access more information about the region and make bookings online.

Minister Ferguson added "these recommendations will assist the local tourism industry to stimulate consumer demand by improving product development, diversification and service delivery."

Victorian Minister for Tourism, Louise Asher MLA, welcomed the positive results and the potential for the region to attract more visitors to support local operators.

Minister Asher explained "it is very pleasing to see that Victorians are supporting their local tourism industry by making Phillip Island one of our most visited regions, and we are also encouraged by the number of international visitors to Phillip Island.

"The Victorian ... Government is committed to growing international visitor numbers in regional Victoria and Phillip Island not only from traditional markets such as the United Kingdom, but also newer markets such as China and South-East Asia."

The survey was conducted during March and April 2012 by Tourism Research Australia in partnership with Destination Phillip Island and Tourism Victoria.