A new round of travel vouchers and dining cashbacks are your ticket to coastal adventures this summer. And as an added bonus, you’ll help some great local businesses that have been doing it tough.
For many coastal businesses like Aqua Blue restaurant and kiosk on Normanville Beach, SA’s algal bloom has made things tough.
“There have been times when I’ve been close to tears,” says operations manager Rhett Day.
After launching in December 2023 and building strong momentum, Aqua Blue felt the ripple effects of the algal bloom.
Bookings slowed. Diners hesitated. And it raised real fears about how they’d stay afloat if business didn’t pick up.
Now, as the weather heats up and summer plans kick off, South Australians have a new chance to help – and get rewarded for it – through two support programs aimed at reviving tourism on the coast.
SA’s coast needs us this summer
Tourism is one of South Australia’s biggest industries – worth nearly $10 billion and supporting more than 40,000 jobs.
Most tourism businesses aren’t big hotel chains or tour giants. They’re small, family-run operations in regional SA – and a good summer can be the difference between staying open or going under.
The algal bloom didn’t just hurt parts of SA’s coast. It hurt the confidence of South Australians. And even as the weather warms up and summer approaches, the effects are still being felt.
That’s where these programs come in.
Vouchers and cashbacks that help the coast
The Coast is Calling travel vouchers are back for summer from 1 December, offering ballot winners up to $500 off accommodation and $100 off tourism experiences in coastal regions like the Fleurieu Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, Kangaroo Island, Eyre Peninsula and the Coorong.
Alongside them, the new Summer Plan Dining Cashback program gives you up to 50 per cent back (up to the value of $50) at participating coastal venues and SA seafood retailers – and you can enter the draw at any time to win one, with the ballot drawn five times from November through to March.
How the dining cashback will help
Aqua Blue opened in December 2023 as part of Normanville’s $7 million foreshore redevelopment – and just as their first full summer wrapped up, the algal bloom hit in March this year.
“We were building momentum,” Rhett says. “And then all this uncertainty started.”
To make matters worse, storms earlier this year damaged much of the Normanville Jetty – one of the area’s key attractions. The council is now rebuilding it.
Rhett says the new Dining Cashback program could be a turning point, as seafood fears and slower visitor numbers were still being felt.
“There’s been this energy hanging around – like people are waiting for something to go wrong,” he says. “This dining cashback could really help shift that.”
The cashback applies not just to dine-in meals, but also to seafood retailers and fishmongers – giving South Australians even more ways to support businesses doing it tough.
Spooked by the bloom
The algal bloom has been front and centre in the news this year – but for many coastal operators, the fear has gone far beyond the facts.
In Victor Harbor, Joel Hirsch – General Manager of Spirit of the Coorong and The Big Duck boat tours – says once whale season was over, their bookings took a big hit.
“The media definitely spooked people,” Joel says. “We had people calling to cancel before they’d even checked the conditions. The irony was that the water was the clearest it had been in months.”
Even as the beaches and water improved on the Fleurieu, the impact has lingered.
But Joel says the first round of the Coast is Calling Travel Vouchers made a real difference to his business – and he’s hopeful the summer vouchers will also give a big boost to tourism operators like him.
“In October, around 35 per cent of our bookings were vouchers,” he says. “People from all over SA. It worked.”
How the ripple effect helps communities
Max Tooze, Head Instructor and Owner–Operator of Neptunes Surf Coaching and Hire on the Yorke Peninsula, echoes Joel’s thoughts.
He says while Corny Point’s beaches have remained safe and beautiful, perceptions have still taken a toll.
“We have had fewer bookings and some cancellations, mainly due to reputation, not reality,” he says. “The waters around Corny Point [where we operate] have been completely safe all season, but the wider perception has made people hesitate.”
Programs like Coast is Calling help more than just his surf school – they create flow-on effects for the whole town.
“Government support like the Coast is Calling vouchers has been incredibly valuable for small tourism operators like ours,” Max says. “Every voucher redeemed represents more than just one booking. It brings people into local accommodation and shops, creating a ripple of economic activity that the whole community feels.”
His advice to metro South Australians?
“Book direct, spread the word, and visit in person,” he says. “Every booking, big or small, helps local businesses stay strong and ready to welcome you back.”
The coast still delivers
The summer support programs might be about dollars – but the value goes far beyond the discount.
The Big Duck is still delivering – with wildlife, stunning scenery and plenty of summer energy.
Neptunes Surf Coaching and Hire is also giving people a great reason to make the three-hour trip to Yorkes – whether it’s their first surf lesson, a family-friendly paddleboard session, or a sunrise kayak tour.
Back on land, the coast still delivers the golden hour magic.
“Over summer, we’ll have a wonderful beachside beer garden,” Rhett from Aqua Blue says. “We want people to come enjoy it – sitting metres from the sand, cocktail in hand, sunglasses on, watching the sunset… and thinking, ‘how good is living?’”
A small decision that makes a big difference
And while tourism operators are doing it tough, they’re not giving up. They’re just asking South Australians to turn up.
“One great thing about this is how great South Australians are at being a community,” Rhett says. “There’s been a deliberate effort by many people to say, ‘You know what? We’re going to buy South Australian seafood. We’re going to visit a South Australian business that’s doing it tough.’ And that, to me, is the best part.”
Enter the ballot for the Coast is Calling vouchers here, and for the Summer Plan Dining Cashback here.
Have questions about the algal bloom? You’ll find all the answers here.
T&Cs: Coast is Calling vouchers and Summer Plan Dining Cashback.
