Image courtesy of Visit Victoria.

Turning Regional Australia into tourism gold, Tourism Research Australia, October 2019

Tourism Research Australia has just released The Beach, Bush and Beyond: Understanding Regional Dispersal of Australian Tourists.

The report highlights the importance of attracting more visitors, both domestic and international, to areas of Australia outside the drawcards of our main cities and beaches.

Introduction

Tourism is a significant industry in Australia. In 2017–18, there were more than 9 million international trips to Australia, and another 100 million domestic overnight trips within Australia. At the same time, tourism spend was at a record high of $131 billion. Tourism as a sector represents 3.2% of Australia’s gross domestic product and employs one-in-twenty Australians.

The influence of tourism is especially important in regional Australia, contributing 4.2% to its gross regional product in 2016–17. This compares to just 2.7% in capital cities and the Gold Coast. Encouraging more Australians and international visitors to venture beyond the capital cities and major centres is, therefore, a priority for the Australian tourism industry. Tourism Research Australia, in partnership with tourism organisations from every state and territory, commissioned Deloitte Access Economics to undertake research into travel behaviour, patterns, trends and sentiment to gain a greater understanding of the motivations for, and barriers to, regional dispersal. This research will inform policy development, marketing campaigns, and product development, as well as help identify the most suitable areas for future investment.

Download report here