Sporting events driving Adelaide tourism boom

The ongoing resurgence of South Australian tourism will see Adelaide celebrate a busy April with sporting events selling out and hotel bookings hitting new highs.

As of last week the AFL confirmed this week the opening match of the inaugural AFL Gather Round - round five of the season - is now at capacity, bringing the total number of sold-out matches to four of the nine.

New tourism data also shows an all-time high in hotel forward bookings for the’ festival of footy’, with the Saturday of the AFL Gather Round hitting the best 53-day outlook for any event on record - at 80% of hotel rooms already snapped up.

It comes new ticket allocation for the nation’s first LIV Golf tournament, with hospitality experiences to LIV Golf Adelaide now on sale to deposit holders.

The announcement of LIV Golf Adelaide’s arrival on Australian shores has seen more than double the number of hotel rooms now sold for the Saturday of the tournament compared to the same time last year.

Data from hotel analytics firm STR shows:

At 53 days out, 80% of Adelaide’s 10,255 hotel rooms available are already booked out for the Saturday of the inaugural AFL Gather Round. This is the best 53-day outlook for any event on record, toppling the previous 53-day outlook record of 71% for the Saturday of the 2023 March long weekend.

At 61 days out from LIV Golf Adelaide, 55% of Adelaide hotel rooms are already booked out for the Saturday of the tournament. This is more than double the number of hotel rooms sold compared to the same time last year (at 27% in 2022).

AFL Gather Round matches ticket update:

• Adelaide Crows v Carlton, Thursday 13th April at Adelaide Oval - sold out

• Fremantle v Gold Coast SUNS, Friday 14th April at Norwood Oval - limited tickets still available

• Richmond v Sydney Swans, Friday 14th April at Adelaide Oval - limited tickets still available

• Brisbane v North Melbourne, Saturday 15th April at Adelaide Hills - sold out

• Essendon v Melbourne and Port Adelaide v Western Bulldogs (doubleheader), Saturday 15th April at Adelaide Oval - sold out

• GWS GIANTS v Hawthorn, Sunday 16th April at Norwood Oval - limited tickets still available

• Geelong Cats v West Coast Eagles and Collingwood v St Kilda (doubleheader), Sunday 16th April at Adelaide Oval - limited tickets still available.

Commenting on the visitation surge, South Australian Minister for Tourism and Multicultural Affairs, Zoe Bettison stated “there’s been an incredible response to our state’s two new major events, with tickets selling out almost as quickly as they’re released.

“Hosting two Australian firsts - the first AFL Gather Round to ever be held and the first LIV Golf tournament to our nation’s shores - it is no wonder Adelaide hotel rooms are fast booking up.

“This is exactly why we invest in new and exciting major events, which bring tens of thousands of visitors from interstate and overseas and help drive the recovery of our state’s economy.”

Lower image credit: LIV Golf.