Bringing tourists back to communities affected by the algal bloom will require pulling on the heartstrings of locals and getting creative, according to UniSA researchers.
The algal bloom event has spread across the state after starting off of the South Coast in mid-March, with the ongoing impact damaging coastal communities and their industries severely.
In response the State Government has implemented support packages for affected businesses, while also introducing The Coast Is Calling, their latest state travel voucher scheme.
Adjunct Senior Lecturer in Tourism Management Dr Freya Higgins-Desbiolles says it’s not the first time SA residents have used tourism to support a struggling region.
“It did happen after the Murray River floods and it did happen with the COVID pandemic when the lockdowns ended and it happened with the KI bushfires, so this sense that we care for each other and want to help communities recover I think is really strong in South Australia and Australia as well,” she told ARN’s Chris Guscott.
“We can still enjoy things, we’ve got wineries on the Fleurieu Peninsula, we’ve got good food, we’ve got farmer’s markets, we’ve got festivals and events that will be coming up, so lots of things to be positive about.”
A growing field of citizen scientists could also be campaigned towards, with a wide range of locals and interstate visitors alike taking notes and making observations via the iNaturalist site.
Listen below to the full interview with Dr Higgins-Desboilles on Around SA:
