Record Visitor Numbers At Bowen’s Big Mango

Record Visitor Numbers At Bowen’s Big Mango

The Bowen Visitor Information Centre, next to the Big Mango, has welcomed a record 56,360 visitors in the past financial year — a 9% increase on the previous year. That’s an average of 1083 people each week, with July and June the busiest months.

Bowen Tourism and Business Manager Leanne Abernethy said day trippers, especially from Airlie Beach, made up 40% of visitors.

“That percentage has been steadily increasing,” she said.

“We have also noticed more people from South Australia since the introduction of direct flights from Proserpine to Adelaide.”

International visitors made up 16% of the total.

Whitsundays Deputy Mayor Michelle Wright congratulated the team, saying, “The consistently strong visitor numbers, including 400 people through the door on the final day of the financial year alone, are a clear sign that the drive tourism marketing strategy is delivering real results.”

Chair of Bowen Tourism and Business Jenn Honnery added, “Welcoming a record number of visitors is a testament to the hard work, warm hospitality, and local knowledge of the staff and volunteers.”

The strong numbers cap off a successful 12 months for the organisation, which also won Gold for Visitor Services at the Whitsunday Tourism Awards and Bronze at the Queensland Awards.

The busy time in Bowen hasn’t eased yet. In the first week of July, the team at the Big Mango welcomed an average of 350 people every day.

RECORD NUMBERS
*Total visitors in financial year - 56,360
*International 15.8%
*Queensland – 58.6%
*Other Australian visitors – 25.6%

Contributed with thanks to Leanne Abernethy

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Bowen Tourism and Business team members, Leanne Abernethy, Cindy Tonks and Glenn Womal with a family from Brisbane this week. Photo supplied

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