Gourmet Escape a boost for region
Almost 12,000 people attended last year’s Gourmet Escape, with 43 per cent of those surveyed returning for the second time.
The figures recently released to the State Government by consultancy group Metrix were collected from face-to-face interviews and online surveys.
The 2013 event, which was held from November 22 to 24 and organised by Brand Events, showcased food, wine and produce alongside a line-up of celebrity chefs.
The event drew more than 10,000 visitors from outside of the region and 1280 interstate and international guests with a combined expenditure of $14 million in the Augusta-Margaret River shire.
On average, travelling West Australians spent 3.8 days in the region and $255 a day, while those travelling from other States and overseas spent 5.3 days in the area and $315 a day.
Of the 470 people surveyed in relation to customer satisfaction, 93 per cent of respondents were either very satisfied or satisfied with their Gourmet Escape experience, while only one per cent were very dissatisfied.
Major drawcards of the Escape included celebrity chefs, food, atmosphere and wines, with 64 per cent of people attending a satellite event and 10 per cent attending fringe events.
Respondents reported some things needed improvement with more shaded areas the top priority on the list. Extra seating, the quality of some productions and faster access to events also needed improvement.
Information provided from Ticketek sales showed the most tickets sold in Australia and outside of WA were to New South Wales residents, with 197 tickets sold in total.
Victoria was close behind with 128 tickets sold, followed by Queensland, where 61 tickets were sold, and South Australia with 25 food and wine lovers snapping up tickets.
