10 June 2009

Firework lead tourism boom?

| johnboy
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The ABC brings word that Questacon are reporting record visitor numbers over the weekend.

    More than 8,000 people attended the science and technology centre, twice the number of an average weekend.

    Questacon’s Graham Durant says the numbers were up 25 per cent on the same time last year.

    “It was a very busy weekend for us and we had some record numbers which was very encouraging,” he said.

They hopefully suggest their exhibitions were dragging the visitors in but I have a suspicion that fireworks brought in lots of visitors who then needed somewhere to take the kids on a wet day.

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Canberra: Number 1 destination for interstate visitors to blow up auspost boxes with fireworks.

The War Memorial was packed on Sunday too, we had our interstate visitors there.

The long weekend was what attracted them to make the trip from Piggy Sniffville (Melbourne).

johnboy said :

Well it’s me doing the reaching, but I’ve heard a lot of anecdotal evidence about people coming to town to visit friends and fire one off.

Is it just me, or does that sound dirty?!

I think it has more to do with the long weekend, and the weather being a factor in people seeking indoor entertainment.

Always a very popular weekend for friends to visit canberra (I don’t know many people, but know of half a dozen interstate people hosted by friends). Figures aren’t usually obvious as it’s people staying with friends and family rather than hotels.

Definately some sort of boost for the economy and making up for those canberrans that leave the ACT over the weekend. Also may get less Canberrans going away because of the fireworks.

However, don’t know how you would quantify the economic gains without banning them and checking out how much shops and restaurants suffer next year – which doesn’t seem like a sensible way to assess.

I’m not coming out for or against here – but you’d want something good to replace the fireworks before banning them. Otherwise canberra will be a very lonely place on the queens birthday long weekend next year.

I know of six people in my immediate family who came down here to assit in either helping me consume my fireworks or to watch the show.

We didn’t go to Questacon though.

whatsinaname5:18 pm 10 Jun 09

The National Museum was pretty busy on Sunday and the War Memorial was the busiest I’ve ever seen it when I was there on Monday. We had a lot of trouble finding a parking spot and ended up having to park across the road at Campbell High. I would say it was due to the long weekend, not the fireworks.

The War memorial was packed on Saturday as well. Most I have ever seen in there.

I reckon Canberra is just a good close location for many Sydney-siders to come to on a long-weekend, but yeah, why not pick up a few fireworks while you’re here…. 🙂

Also the lack of routine weekend kid’s sporting stuff (soccar, netball etc..) due to the long weekend and wet weather means that parents were scratching for things to do with their kids. Betcha the movie numbers and indoor play centre numbers were up too.

Well it’s me doing the reaching, but I’ve heard a lot of anecdotal evidence about people coming to town to visit friends and fire one off.

Their numbers are up compared to last year’s long weekend. The freezing and grey weather may have made indoor activities look good this year though.

ant said :

I think they’re reaching. More likely that it was a LONG WEEKEND!

Agreed, long weekend would be the cause. Fireworks is a bit of a stretch, they can’t buy them anyway

shanefos said :

The Vanity Fair exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery also drew huge crowds over the weekend, so I’d suggest that it was a combination of people being on holiday for the long weekend, the ordinary weather translating to people looking for things to do inside AND good exhibitions, rather than just fireworks.

Yes I think we are giving the purveyors of incendiary devices far to much credit. Let’s focus on the fact that two major National Institutions attracted good numbers to the Capital offering excellent exhibitions/entertainment/education opportunites.

I think they’re reaching. More likely that it was a LONG WEEKEND!

Inappropriate11:30 am 10 Jun 09

Makes sense. Familys visit friends in Canberra for the long weekend, blow stuff up, and then drag the kids to the Q.

The Vanity Fair exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery also drew huge crowds over the weekend, so I’d suggest that it was a combination of people being on holiday for the long weekend, the ordinary weather translating to people looking for things to do inside AND good exhibitions, rather than just fireworks.

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