Tourism Research Info..Optimism In Backpacker Market

Tourism Research Australia’s latest International Visitors Survey has reported an increase in backpacker numbers to Australia, a longer length of stay and larger average spend in 2009 compared to 2008.

For the year ending December 31 2009, 570,000 backpackers visited Australia which was an increase of 11,000 year on year.

New South Wales was the most visited with 78 per cent of backpackers though Queensland retained its lead for bed nights with 32 per cent share. New South Wales edged closer to its east coast rival however, increasing its bed nights year on year by 1,683, a 31 per cent share.

Backpackers in the country also spent more than the previous year with average spend increasing by $475 to $6,114 bringing the total economic value of the sector to approximately $3.5 billion.

New Zealand and Korea both saw a decline in visitors to Australia while the USA, UK, Germany and France all experienced a slight increase.

Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) Backpacker Tourism Advisory Panel (BTAP) chairman Peter Ovenden said after a challenging 2009, he was cautiously optimistic about the coming year.

“Backpackers stay longer and spend more than any other demographic, while working holiday visa holders who work in hospitality and tourism-related jobs fulfil an important role across all sectors of the tourism industry.”

To download the full pdf report, click here.

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You can also access the following up to the minute info from Tourism Research Australia (TRA) by clicking the links.

International Visitor Survey (IVS) – produced quarterly, the IVS is Australia’s most comprehensive source of information on international visitors to our country. The IVS annually samples 40,000 departing, short-term international visitors to Australia over the age of 15 years, and information collected includes demographics, expenditure, purpose of visit, activities, transportation and accommodation.

National Visitor Survey (NVS) – the NVS is Australia’s primary measure of domestic tourism activity, collecting information on the characteristics and travel patterns of domestic day visitors, domestic overnight visitors and domestic visitors travelling overseas (outbound). The NVS is produced quarterly and includes results from approximately 120,000 annual interviews with Australian residents over the age of 15 years.

Destination Visitor Survey Program – Tourism Research Australia developed and conducts the Destination Visitor Survey Program which provides customised statistical data at a regional level. The projects are regional initiatives and are aimed at non capital city destinations.

Forecasts – The Tourism Forecasting Committee is an independent body charged with producing consensus forecasts of activity across international, domestic and outbound tourism sectors. The resources for the Tourism Forecasting Committee are provided by Tourism Research Australia, and we use advanced modelling techniques to develop forecasts of tourism activity twice a year.

Publications – a range of Tourism Research Australia key research publications and papers are available for free download. Along with the publications mentioned above, they also produce Snapshots & Fact Sheets on niche markets, and reports on Regional tourism profiles, Regional expenditure, International visitor profiles, International analysis and Economic analysis. They also publish consultancy reports, conference papers, occasional papers and presentations.

For further information about Tourism Research Australia, including subscription fees, please email tourism.research@ret.gov.au