The number of visitors visiting the Grampians increased in the past year by 15.7 per cent, with 931,000 visitors travelling to the Grampians between March 2017 and March 2018. 

The amount of expenditure in the Grampians has also significantly increased in the past year. 

Expenditure by overnight visitors, from March 2017 to March 2018, increased by 42.8 per cent in comparison to the previous year.

Overnight visitors spent $317 million in the region during the year. 

Visitors spent 2,367,000 nights in the Grampians from March 2017 to March 2018 – a 26.6 per cent increase from 2016 to 2017. 

Grampians Tourism chief executive Marc Sleeman said the growth in tourist numbers and expenditure was ahead of both state and national averages. 

“It’s an amazing result for our region,” he said. 

“Our new multi-tactical marketing campaigns are working to increase visitors numbers, dispersing visitors across our entire region and importantly they are staying longer and spending more.” 

The marketing campaign includes promoting the Grampians region all year, as well as advertising specific areas such as Dunkeld and Halls Gap. 

“We have (also) received a significant increase from both local government and industry in investment in our annual marketing campaigns,” Mr Sleeman said. 

“Industry investment for 2018-19 has experienced a 43 per cent increase.”

Harvest Halls Gap cafe owner Carly Flecknoe said the cafe had noticed an increase in visitor numbers since opening in 2015.

“This is our third year and we have most definitely noticed an increase,” she said.

Ms Flecknoe said the cafe’s numbers were well up, in comparison to the first two years. 

“There’s been an increase more broadly throughout the year,” Ms Flecknoe said. 

“Our weekend and weekday trade has increased. But it is more noticeable over the school holidays and over public holidays because people have more time to travel then.”

Coolas Ice Creamery owner Tricia Granger said she had also noted an increase in visitors to Halls Gap. She said she had particularly noticed an increase in overseas and interstate tourists.