Canberra’s economic rebound continues, Chief Minister Andrew Barr announced today. Visitor numbers during the recent school holidays returned to pre-COVID levels, and Winter in the City was an economic boost for the City Centre.

From 2 to 17 July, hotel occupancy was 87 per cent, slightly higher than the same school holiday period in 2019.

A calendar of winter events drew visitors to Canberra’s national attractions: ‘Shakespeare to Winehouse’ at the National Portrait Gallery, ‘Connection’ at the National Museum of Australia, ‘Ceremony’ at the National Gallery of Australia. Sports fans flocked to the Kanga Cup, the largest international youth football tournament in the Southern Hemisphere.

Visitor numbers were boosted by aviation connections to key markets and by people stopping over in Canberra on their way to the Snowy Mountains.

Winter in the City is estimated to have brought more than $1.4 million in expenditure into the City Centre between 1 and 17 July.

Winter in the City, run by the City Renewal Authority, transformed Civic Square into a winter fun park; attractions included an open-air ice rink, exhibitions, pop-up bars, ice sculpting, food vendors, marshmallows roasting over open fires, and a Winter Concert.

More than 12,000 ice skating tickets (and as many marshmallows) were sold. 25 per cent of attendees visited from interstate. Nearly 1,300 families took to the ice during the festivities.

“It’s clear we are seeing strong signs of tourism industry recovery in Canberra,” Mr Barr said. “This is being led by leisure travel, with people eager to travel again, visit family and friends, and get back to attending events and visiting attractions.”