Tourism centres record visitor surge

Border Watch
Wednesday 12/3/2008 Page: 6

Millicent's Visitor Information Centre (VIC) has experienced its busiest February for 10 years. And visitors are expected to continue rolling into Millicent for the Geltwood Festival. Tourism services manager Janice Nitschke said in the lead up to the festival several quilts had been hung in Millicent's centre, along with posters and cards, making an attractive display. She said the posters and cards had also been sent to VICs across the state and Victoria, as well as in the Limestone Coast region.

Mrs Nitschke said increased visitor numbers were being experienced throughout Wattle Range. "At Millicent the 18pc increase was indicative of the continued interest in the Melbourne to Adelaide touring route, increased coastal tourism and caravanners," Mrs Nitschke said. "The WoakWine Range Wind Farms Tourist Drive continues to generate many inquiries and interest. "The windfarm drive, the Pool of Saloam and food and wineries of Penola and Coonawarra have featured in a film shoot undertaken by a group of Singaporeans.

"Postcards filmed at the Pool of Saloam and Getaway visits the area in March. "Getaway is undertaking a coastal filming episode and suggestions have been forwarded to them for consideration. "Significantly hits on the Wattle Range website continues to increase and although these numbers are not counted within this statistical analysis there were 8609 hits related to tourism and information inquiries. "Interestingly 502 web mail postcards were sent using the selection of Wattle Range postcards available.

"Beachport and Southend also had many hits, along with the photographic exhibition at the Millicent Gallery, 4WD maps and information, Local History and the Vigneron's Cup." Mrs Nitschke said an 18pc increase in inquiries and visitor numbers were witnessed at the Millicent Centre with 1937 visitors for 2008 compared with 1640 in 2007 during February. "This was in fact the busiest February for 10 years and follows successive outstanding months in terms of visitor numbers, inquiries and information packs sent out."