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Resort Occupancy Hat Trick Boosted By Web Sales

IN a hat trick that defies past and present tourism forecasts the Gold Coast’s Paradise Resort has recorded the highest level of occupancy amongst its competitors for the third year in a row.

The iconic Gold Coast resort has consistently recorded an increase in domestic business with an additional 10,000 room nights booked in 2008 and forward bookings indicating similar success in the year ahead.

Paradise Resort General Manager, Phil Haller said the additional bookings to their resort came predominantly from Australian families and were largely derived from the resorts own website.

“Direct internet sales have grown at a phenomenal rate and we are very proud of the fact that 18,000 room nights in 2008 were generated directly from the web equating to more than $2.4 million in room sales.

“It would appear from our figures that online direct bookings are becoming increasingly popular in the leisure/domestic market – and for us they represent a very solid revenue stream.

“Our team has worked tirelessly on developing a website that is simple yet informative and importantly, extremely easy for the average person to navigate and subsequently book their holiday.

“More than 50,000 Australian families have signed up to receive news and updates directly from the resort – the figure escalating over the last three years,” Mr Haller said. Tourism Queensland statistics suggest Sydneysiders were the largest source of domestic visitors to the Gold Coast throughout the year , however a combination of increasing fuel prices, interest rates and escalating living expenses contributed to a decline in intrastate visitation and families taking drive holidays – a statistic not recorded at Paradise Resort.

Mr Haller said he was extremely proud of the resort’s record that reflected his team’s commitment to exceeding guest’s expectations in service and hospitality.

“This resort has been established on the Gold Coast since 1982 and the recent occupancy figures reflect the fact that we are definitely doing something right - particularly with the domestic market who seem to seek good value but above all, great service.

“I am certainly buoyed by our figures and feel it is indicative of the fact that more and more Aussies are holidaying at home – and that can only be a great thing for local tourism and the economy as a whole,” he said.

Paradise Resort has a 40% inbound and 60% domestic guest ratio at present however forward bookings indicate this will change to 35% inbound, 65% domestic over the summer holiday season.

Tourism Queensland figures indicate the Gold Coast remains the number one region in Queensland in terms of room nights with five million room nights sold over the year to December 2007.

Paradise Resort recorded a total of 126,000 room nights sold in the 2007 – 2008 financial year.

Mr Haller and his team plan to celebrate the Resort’s success with an informal morning tea on Wednesday 15th October in Sinbad’s Restaurant.

This initiative lends itself to great vision or photo opportunities.

For media enquiries contact: Lee-Ann Lawrence, Director of Sales and Marketing, Paradise Resort on (07) 5579 4444