Surfers Paradise Second Most Hashtagged Spot In Australia

SURFERS Paradise — criticised for lacking heart and a pulse by leading city figures recently — still shines for visitors as one of the most hashtagged places in Australia.

The tourism hotspot’s beach has been officially ranked by Instagram as the second-most hashtagged place in the country, beaten only by Sydney’s famed Bondi Beach.

Surfers beach beat off Sydney Harbour in third, Sydney’s icon Harbour Bridge in fourth and Melbourne’s St Kilda Beach in fifth.

Last year Surfers beach was third behind the Sydney Opera House and Sydney’s Darling Harbour.

Surfers was the only Gold Coast mention in the 2017 top 10 and it was no surprise to Gold Coast Tourism CEO Martin Winter.

Mr Winter said the name Surfers Paradise was a beacon but backed up by some of the best beachfront in the world and associated services.

“This is an amazing result because when you look at the volume of people who come through Sydney where there are so many more visitors compared to the Gold Coast, and we have knocked off the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

“It confirms that Surfers Paradise — and not just because of its name — is a sort of aspirational dreamlike spot in people’s minds.”

Mr Winter told the Bulletin yesterday: “Surfers Paradise delivers to millions of visitors every year exactly what they are looking for — and the traders there respond accordingly.

“To characterise it as vacuous misses the point — it is a tourist destination and performs as such.

“Surfers Paradise is what it is. It delivers more than most visitors expect. Those visitors who want something more soulful and meaningful will choose different destinations,” Mr Martin said.

“But Schoolies, for example, aren’t going to go to Coolangatta.”

In an opinion piece in last weekend’s Bulletin, developer and Meriton Group founder Harry Triguboff said the “vibrant heart” of Surfers had stalled.

For it to claim a permanent seat on the international stage, he advised a retail-dining area expansion north along The Esplanade which was world-class.

“The addition of Soul with its retail and alfresco dining options and high-end apartments has extended what I’d call the Surfers tourism CBD. That should be seen only as a starting point,” Mr Triguboff wrote.

Source: Gold Coast Bulletin  24 November 2017

The post Surfers Paradise Second Most Hashtagged Spot In Australia appeared first on Real Estate in Australia.