Exceeding Expectations: What Q1 2026 Visitor Insights Reveal About Adelaide's Visitor Economy
Adelaide is making a strong impression on visitors. New insights from the Adelaide Economic Development Agency's Outside Visitors Survey – Q1 2026 Research Report shows that travellers are not only choosing the city, but often discovering more than they expected once they arrive.
The findings provide valuable insight into how visitors are experiencing Adelaide, what is influencing their travel decisions and how the visitor economy can continue to evolve to meet changing expectations.
Adelaide is exceeding visitor expectations
Visitors continue to describe Adelaide through many of its defining strengths: a clean, beautiful and welcoming city that is easy to explore.
In Q1 2026, 85 percent of surveyed visitors said Adelaide exceeded their expectations, reinforcing the city's reputation as a destination that consistently delivers memorable experiences.
Many visitors also valued Adelaide's unique combination of vibrant city experiences and easy access to South Australia's regions. This ability to enjoy world-class food and wine, major events, cultural attractions and nearby regional destinations within a single trip continues to be one of Adelaide's greatest competitive advantages.
Longer stays create new opportunities
Beyond positive perceptions of the city, the survey also reveals encouraging shifts in visitor behaviour. Leisure remains the primary reason people visit Adelaide, with 79 percent of respondents travelling for a holiday. The research also found that 62 percent of respondents were visiting Adelaide for the first time, highlighting Adelaide's continued ability to attract new visitors.
Longer stays create greater opportunities for visitors to experience Adelaide's hospitality, retail, cultural attractions and events, while also encouraging exploration of South Australia's regions. The findings suggest visitors are increasingly seeing Adelaide not only as a place to visit on their South Australian journey, but as a destination worth spending more time in.
For local businesses and tourism operators, this presents valuable opportunities to engage visitors throughout their stay and encourage them to discover more of what Adelaide and South Australia have to offer.
The digital shift in the visitor journey
Visitors are increasingly discovering and planning their trips digitally before they arrive. Across the three combined survey results, Google Search remains the leading source of destination information, used by 80 percent of visitors, while social media, mapping tools and emerging digital platforms continue to shape expectations.
However, the research also highlights that visitors still value trusted local knowledge and experiences that cannot be replicated online.
While awareness of Adelaide's Visitor Information Centre remains high. Across the combined survey results, 86 percent of visitors said they had not visited or did not intend to visit, with many respondents feeling their information needs could be met digitally. At the same time, 78 percent said they would consider visiting a physical visitor centre if it provided useful services and experiences beyond what they could find online.
Creating the next generation of visitor services
The survey findings are helping inform the future of visitor services in Adelaide.
Opening in the coming months, AEDA's new Visitor Experience Centre expands on our tradition of personalized service by moving beyond the conventional visitor information model. Alongside the tailored, face-to-face recommendations our team is known for, the new centre introduces interactive digital inspiration and bespoke itinerary curation designed around each visitor's unique interests.
Delivered in an engaging and creative way, these experiences are crafted to give travellers a true sense of place while encouraging them to uncover hidden gems.
By complementing the digital visitor journey, the Visitor Experience Centre will strengthen connections between visitors and local businesses, events, attractions and regional experiences, helping to extend both visitor engagement and economic impact.
The message from visitors is clear: Adelaide is already exceeding expectations. The opportunity now is to continue evolving the way the city welcomes, inspires and connects with visitors, ensuring every stay encourages people to discover even more.
Methodology note: The Q1 2026 survey included 47 visitor responses. Where historical comparisons or combined findings are presented, the analysis draws on a total sample of 123 responses collected across three survey waves during FY 2025-26.
Source: Adelaide Economic Development Agency, Outside Visitors Survey - Q1 2026 Research Report (internal research).