Penguins' record run of sell-out summer nights
PINP experienced its strongest tourist season in years, with three weeks of sell-out nights at the Penguin Parade.
Phillip Island Nature Parks experienced its strongest tourist season in years, with a record run of almost three weeks of sell-out nights at the Penguin Parade this summer.
In December and January, the Penguin Parade was sold out on 35 nights, including for 19 consecutive events.
The Koala Conservation Reserve also experienced strong visitor numbers, with interest from overseas travellers.
In addition, the Ocean Sounds Festival on Churchill Island on January 6 sold out to a crowd of 5000.
Phillip Island Nature Parks General Manager, Tourism Mark Anderson said international visitation had strengthened significantly, supported by consistently strong domestic travel.
"Phillip Island's Penguin Parade has long been one of Victoria's most popular tourism attractions," Mr Anderson said.
"Domestic visitors from Victoria and all parts of the country continue to support us in droves, with two-thirds of our guests hailing from Australia. But our international market is showing some exciting new visitation trends, particularly around Asian travellers."
Mr Anderson said Nature Parks' fastest growing international visitor demographic was travellers from China, which is now Australia's fourth largest visitor market, and many Chinese tourists are enjoying guided, customised tours in smaller groups.
They had prepared for an influx in Chinese visitation for the Lunar New Year (February 10), as the Chinese government recognised the celebration with an eight-day holiday.
"The Penguin Parade is already sold out on several nights, and it is likely the dates for the entire week will sell out."
Phillip Island Nature Parks attractions are also a tourist stop of choice for visitors from Singapore, the USA, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom, data shows. The number of visitors from South Korea has now exceeded pre-pandemic levels, and arrivals from India have returned to pre-Covid numbers.
Phillip Island Nature Parks stated it is the only commercial venue in Australia where visitors can see little penguins in their natural environment and is a rare place where tourism and conservation work in tandem to celebrate and safeguard Australia's biodiversity.
