Stunning, diverse landscapes and natural environment. Superb food and wine. World class arts and sporting events. Friendly and welcoming people.

These are just a few of the reasons why visitor numbers to South Australia are growing strongly. And just at the right time as the State’s economy continues to change shape and the jobs of the future take on a different guise.

The ongoing success story that is SA tourism and our visitor economy is featured in the latest global campaign by the South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC).

The campaign will continue to build on strong foundations. After a slight dip in international visitor numbers in 2014, the latest statistics show international visitor numbers up nearly 8 per cent to 410,000 with spending surging 38 per cent to $954 million in the year to March.

Domestic tourism is also growing with domestic overnight visitor number increasing more than 6 per cent to 5.9 million nights. Expenditure by interstate and local visitors grew by 2.3 per cent to $4.8 billion.

The International Visitor Survey results also provides an intriguing insight into the importance of our services exports, of which education is a vital part.

Expenditure by international tourists visiting South Australia for education – essentially family members visiting their sons, daughters, siblings or friends studying at school or university – surged 59 per cent in the year to March. These visitors spent $355 million, the highest outlay on record by this important segment.

So it’s time that we give due regard to the existing and potential future employment generation that this sector holds. We now need to see the impact of our growing visitor economy well beyond the current narrow perception that the benefits are limited to accommodation and hospitality.

Jobs in the services sector are as valuable as any other but sometimes it seems they are not regarded as such in some quarters. For example, given the appeal of South Australia’s wine regions, the people who work in our wineries are also tourism ambassadors. The ‘tradies’ who maintain accommodation and event facilities in first class condition are integral to the State’s appeal as a destination (and so on).

The economic stimulus and financial spin-off from the visitor sector is every bit as important as the manufacturing and mining sectors and we should be encouraging careers in the services sector.

The arrival of China Southern Airlines in December 2016, with three direct flights per week from Guangzhou, servicing a province with four times the population of Australia, can only add to the economic good news around this vital sector.

Image Credit: South Australian Tourism Commission