BLOG

How busy is Byron really? – a statistical approach to the topic A number of media outlets have recently claimed that Byron Bay is experiencing ‘over-tourism’. Most inevitably reference the UK tour company Responsible Travel who compiled a list of global towns experiencing over-tourism based on ‘news reports’, with no regard for the underlying statistics. All articles mentioning over-tourism in our shire inevitably include a mention of our short-term holiday rental situation and a quote from a local councillor [...]

The 2019 Destination Byron Tourism Symposium (June 7, Elements of Byron) may have kicked-off in outer-space, but the day’s core message was firmly rooted right here on the ground. Sustainability and collaboration were themes that ran through all ten presentations, from the crowd-favourite ‘Top 10 Travel Trends’ right the way through to Byron Shire Council’s approach to tourism engagement. When it came to sustainability, the potential effects of over-tourism on the environment was a hot topic. In his presentation, [...]

With a population of 34,500 people and a median house price of $987,500 (as of December 2018), Byron Bay is Australia’s most expensive city. The table above shows the values of houses and units in Byron Bay. Through the first quartile, prices are significantly higher than the state average. What has driven Byron’s property market? Byron Bay has averaged double-digit growth every single year for two decades, with median house prices increasing by an average of 10.1 per cent over [...]

Does our region have an ideal mix of visitor types? and if so, what can be done to attract and retain them? It’s a huge question, but that’s exactly what the 2019 Ballina Byron Gateway Airport Annual Byron Tourism Symposium is asking members of the local visitor economy to consider. Now in its sixth year, Destination Byron’s hallmark event will take place on Friday, 7 June at Elements of Byron resort. We’ve now finalised a multi-faceted line-up of local and [...]

The growth of tourism in the last two decades has led to extensive damage in destinations across the globe, an effect that is mostly unreported and rarely recognised by tourists. The following report seeks out ways industry players can collaborate so that destinations in need of skills, leadership, and other resources can access these. The goal is to address this ‘invisible burden’ and enable tourism to benefit all – visitors and residents alike. Read the full report here.