Adelaide Oval final an economic winner for SAAlexandra Economou
Adelaide Advertiser
September 04, 2014 9:41PMCITY hotels are enjoying a spike in business as thousands of Richmond Tigers fans prepare to head across the border for Sunday’s AFL Elimination Final against Port Adelaide.
InterContinental Adelaide and Stamford Plaza are booked out for Sunday night.
InterContinental Adelaide is also close to capacity for Saturday night, the hotel’s commercial director Jakki Temple-Govan said.
She said there had been a surge in bookings from interstate fans throughout the football season, particularly during the latter part of the year.
“Showdowns have been popular also and when fans of the Perth teams come over they tend to stay longer, probably because of the longer flight,” she said.
Ian Kennedy from the South East Tigers supporter group will drive from Victoria to SA with several self-confessed “Tiger tragics” on Saturday.
He said there were about 12,000 Richmond fans in Sydney for the match against the Swans last weekend and expected about 15,000 Tiger supporters at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
Accor Hotels, which operates four city-based sites including the new Ibis Adelaide, said it had seen occupancy increase across the board.
“We have seen a positive flow on effect for our hotels around game periods with occupancy in the Adelaide market increasing by 10.1 per cent year on year,” said Accor Pacific chief operating officer Simon McGrath.
More than one million fans attended Adelaide Oval matches during the home and away season, beating the previous record set at AAMI Stadium in 2003.
Figures show Adelaide’s hotel market grew faster than any other capital city in Australia between January and August.
According to the statistics from STR Global and Hines Property, Adelaide recorded room rate growth of 9.3 per cent, well ahead of Sydney at 5.2 per cent.
Hines Property managing director James Hines, which operates Crowne Plaza Adelaide, said the hotel was on track to record its best calendar year figures since opening in 2010.
Country businesses are also benefiting as scores of fans make the road trip from Victoria for matches.
Tailem Bend’s Riverside Hotel has enjoyed a steady stream of visitors during the football season, according to co-owner Phil Marechal.
“This is our first footy season as owners of the hotel, but we have had quite a bit of traffic coming through with people going to the footy,” he said.
“Some stop for a beer, others for lunch.”
At Henry & Rose Cafe in Keith business is often brisk during AFL finals.
“When the football crowd moves, we do see a pick up in trade,” said cafe assistant Yvonne Schreiber.
http://www.news.com.au/national/south-australia/adelaide-oval-final-an-economic-winner-for-sa/story-fnii5yv4-1227048208786
