Riverland business owners miffed after “disappointing” tourism voucher rollout

Riverland business owners miffed after “disappointing” tourism voucher rollout

Holiday vouchers that aimed to bolster tourism in South Australia’s Riverland region have copped criticism from local business owners who claimed they haven’t worked.

The South Australian government spent $3.5m on the ‘River Revival Vouchers’ which were aimed at getting tourists back out to the flood-devastated region.

139,000 registered for the vouchers, but of the 12,000 offered only 4000 were redeemed by winners, drawing criticism of the campaign by SA business owners.

“For us, it was very disappointing and I think as a whole it wasn’t what we expected,” SA business owner Craig Cowing told Channel 9.

“We only got six or so actual registrations.”

Murray river shores reflected in water at sunset, Riverland, rural South Australia

Kym Werner the owner of Riverland canoe and kayak hire operator Canoe Adventures echoed this sentiment. Werner told Travel Weekly that he only had about two people use the vouchers from this rollout and that he attributed the low number to a “hangover from poor media coverage of the floods.”

South Australian opposition leader David Spears said “clearly something went wrong” with the campaign.

“They haven’t been marketed effectively, the strategy hasn’t been very good,” he said.

The South Australian tourism minister Zoe Bettison said they had taken the criticism into consideration, but she stood by the program.

“There will be changes, we have heard, my focus is around the tourism operators and the people of these regions,” she said.

The second round of vouchers will roll out thousands more for the region.

Latest News

  • Destinations
  • News

APT Launches 2025 Asia Adventures

APT has launched its Asia Adventures for 2025, including new luxury holidays in India, Sri Lanka and Japan. Five new tours lead guests to the highlights of India, including a seven-night cruise along the rarely travelled Lower Ganges aboard the Ganges Voyager. Further south, Sri Lanka’s greatest destinations are revealed on a new 15-day Land […]

  • Cruise
  • Luxury
  • News

Seabourn announces Western Kimberley Traditional Owners as Godparents of Seabourn Pursuit

Seabourn has named Western Kimberley Traditional Owners, the Wunambal Gaambera, as Godparents of the ultra-luxury purpose-built Seabourn Pursuit. It is the first cruise line to appoint Traditional Owners as godparents of a ship. Seabourn Pursuit embarks on its inaugural season in the Kimberley region this June. The naming ceremony will take place on Seabourn Pursuit’s […]

  • Luxury

Malolo Island Resort opens brand new Spa

Fiji’s Malolo Island has added another string to its bow – opening its $1.3 million day spa on Thursday, 18th April 2024. (Lead Image: matriarch Rosie Whitton with spa staff) Located at the edge of the resort’s luscious patch of tropical rainforest, the new “Leilani’s Spa” adds another level of elevated experiences to Malolo’s already […]