Ashes Cricket Series Boosts Hotel Bookings in Adelaide and Perth

The upcoming Ashes series is creating a surge in hotel bookings across key Australian cities, particularly Adelaide and Perth. Data from CoStar, highlights that the event is significantly boosting hotel occupancy rates, echoing the impact seen during the British and Irish Lions Tour earlier in the year.

The first Test match, scheduled for November 21-25 at Perth Stadium, has already pushed hotel occupancy to 83.6% for the opening night. This is a substantial increase from last year’s 45.1% occupancy for the same period. Adelaide is also experiencing high demand, with occupancy peaking at 86.4% on December 18, the second day of the Test match from December 17-21. This is a dramatic rise from just 17.7% occupancy on the same day last year.

Matthew Burke, regional director at STR, noted that the Ashes series is not only benefiting the host cities but also boosting tourism in other leisure destinations like Cairns and the Gold Coast. This trend mirrors the effect seen during the British and Irish Lions Tour, where long-form sporting events drove demand beyond the immediate vicinity of the host locations.

Other cities like Melbourne and Brisbane are also seeing increased bookings, with Melbourne reaching 60.6% occupancy on December 27 and Brisbane at 57.2% on December 5. Sydney’s highest booking level is currently at 41.5% for January 4. The Ashes series is clearly playing a pivotal role in revitalizing the hotel and travel industry across Australia.