iPlan - a NSW Government initiative coordinated by
Department of Planning

1.5 Tourism

1.5.1 Tourism Characteristics

There is only limited reliable tourism data for the Tweed area. With the exception of the Survey of Tourist Accommodation by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, all other figures are only accurate at a State level. The degree of accuracy falls dramatically at regional level and is potentially misleading at sub-regional level.

In view of survey limitations in assessing statistics for the sub-region of Tweed it is considered more reliable to identify trends than rely on absolute numbers. If one year's results appear to be out of sync. with the trend it may be discarded unless following years confirm it as a new trend.

New South Wales is divided into 15 Tourism Regions, of which Northern Rivers - Tropical NSW is the fourth largest with approximately 8% of visitor nights in the State. Tweed is one of the 13 sub-regions of Northern Rivers, though it is the second largest after Byron with approximately 29% of the Northern Rivers' visitor nights in the whole region.

From these figures it is estimated that Tweed may attract some 2.3% of all visitor nights spent in New South Wales.

The table below shows recent trends in the Tweed sub-region:

Assuming the 2001 result is a statistical anomaly, it appears that visitor numbers have been growing slightly in recent years. There has been a 5% annual increase in visitor nights and a 4% annual increase in the length of stay.

This latter trend suggests that overnight visitors are finding reasons to stay in Tweed longer, possibly due to more and better attractions and facilities, or alternatively due to lower room rates.

A 10% annual fall in the numbers of daytrippers has continued for a 4 year period. Although it could still be a statistical aberration, it is paralleled by a similar 10% annual fall in the numbers of daytrippers to Byron, although Lismore has recorded an 8% annual increase.

Mr Terry Watson of TACTIC advises that Daytripper numbers are declining throughout New South Wales, possibly due to increased discretionary spending on other items and leisure time spent on the Internet. Another reason may be increasing traffic congestion as Daytripper numbers to the Gold Coast have been increasing in recent years, especially since the Pacific Motorway from Brisbane was completed in September 2000.

Another possible reason for the reduction of day-trippers to the Tweed may be associated with the spread of poker machines in Queensland clubs and pubs.

The Lismore increase suggests that the downturns are not due to increasing congestion on the highway at Tugun, and suggests it is most likely that the results are unreliable for reasons explained earlier.

1.5.2 Tourist Accomodation

The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces a Quarterly survey of all short-term daily serviced accommodation and is the most reliable source of information on regional tourism. The only reservation is that it only collects data on establishments with a minimum of 15 rooms. Therefore small hinterland resorts are excluded, as well as any Tweed Heads motels or serviced apartments with fewer than 15 rooms.

The ABS Survey provides the following comparative data for the total region, for March Quarter 2002 and 2003:

The 3% reduction in the region's guestrooms is part of a nationwide trend as holiday let serviced apartments are being sold to end users during the current boom in property prices.

Guest arrivals were down 5% in March Quarter 2003 compared with one year earlier. However, they stayed a little longer so guest nights only suffered a 2.6% drop and room nights only a 1.3% drop.

The average room rate increased 2.5%, which is not quite enough to cover inflation, so in real terms it declined slightly. The average occupancy rate improved by one percentage point due to 3% fewer rooms and the Rate per Available Room (Room rate discounted by the vacancy rate) improved 4.3% to $54.78 per room night.

The accommodation covered in this survey includes hotels, motels, guesthouses and serviced apartments. The latest issue covers March Quarter 2003 and includes 21 establishments in Tweed of which 16 are located in Tweed Heads. The following table shows comparisons between the accommodation available in the Tweed resorts and other places.

Tweed Heads has 62% more guestrooms and 41% more bed spaces than Byron. However, those accommodation establishments provide employment for only 2 more people than Byron. The poor returns in employment terms are emphasised when compared with the whole State, as Tweed Heads provides less than half the numbers of jobs per guest room or per bed space. This indicates a concentration on a low level of servicing of the existing accommodation in Tweed Heads.

The performance of Tweed Heads accommodation in comparison with other places in March Quarter 2003 is shown in the following table:

Tweed Heads recorded 18% more guest nights and 36% more room night stays than Byron. However, takings from accommodation were 26% below Byron due to the average room rate of $88.99 which was only 55% of Byron's $163.03.

The Tweed Heads occupancy rate of 54.7% was also well below Byron's 65.2%, Ballina's 60.0% and the State Average of 60.7%, despite this being one of the two peak Quarters of the year.

The relatively low occupancy rate in the school holiday month of January indicates that Tweed Heads is not regarded as a holiday destination. By comparison the hinterland resorts exhibit the typically high volatility of holiday high and low seasons (January & March).

1.5.3 Tourist Attitudes to Tweed Heads

The statistical analysis clearly leads to the conclusion that Tweed Heads is not regarded as a place to take a holiday, despite its close proximity to the Gold Coast's southern beaches. In contrast Coolangatta is regarded as an ideal holiday destination by families with school age children and by older people during non-school holiday periods.

The Tweed Heads Town Centre Precinct has been inspected on several occasions in the course of this study, and the inspections reveal limited potential options for visitors.

The major current attractions are:

1. Twin Towns Services Club
2. Tweed Heads Bowls Club
3. Duranbah Beach
4. Point Danger
5. Jack Evans Boatharbour
6. Tweed Mall Shopping Centre

The first two are successful venues that are well patronised by a largely elderly clientele who are mainly local or Gold Coast residents. They undoubtedly attract the Seniors visitors from further afield - people who are likely to stay at home during school holiday periods. This likely contributes to the poor January occupancy rate in Tweed Heads.

Duranbah Beach is highly specialised in an entirely different direction - the youth surf culture. This limits its attraction for other age groups, including families.

Point Danger, although half in Tweed Shire, is almost as isolated from it as Razorback. Both provide interesting vantage points for the motorist visiting the area rather than the pedestrian tourist in Tweed Heads.

Jack Evans Boatharbour together with the adjacent Chris Cunningham Park is little used by tourists, is almost hidden from view and has a misleading name, as it is not operated as a boat harbour. Its intended function is difficult to ascertain, yet it contains the nucleus of an invaluable tourist attraction.

Tweed Mall Shopping Centre is a good suburban shopping centre with light and airy malls and ample car parking. However, the appearance it presents to the casual tourist walking down Wharf Street from the Coolangatta accommodation houses is most unattractive. The blank masonry wall it presents to the corner of Bay & Wharf Streets provides no encouragement for pedestrians to cross Bay Street. It belies the attractive shopping centre inside.

1.5.4 Constraints to the Expansion of Tourism

Tourists have become increasingly security conscious in recent years. They have learned to be constantly on the defensive against pickpockets and muggers. Consequently they feel safer in crowds and avoid places where there would be no-one to come to their assistance if attacked.

With these considerations in mind it is clear that Griffith Street Coolangatta is presently preferred to Wharf Street Tweed Heads.

A key to the revitalisation of a tourist friendly Tweed Heads is generating pedestrian volumes and activity. A preferred solution is to integrate the Tweed Heads town centre with Griffith Street so that tourists see them as one continuous tourist friendly zone. Not only must Tweed Heads provide a tourist-friendly ambience, it must also bridge the gap to the tourist resource of Griffith Street.