Tourism
Tourism encompasses a wide variety of activities, and may have many different
effects on the places and/or communities it touches. Some of these effects (for
instance on employment and the environment) may be a mixed blessing, and they
continue to generate debate.
Tourists travel away from their home or usual place of work. People become
tourists for reasons related to pleasure, health, education and religion.
Two main categories of Australian tourism
There are two broad categories of tourism: domestic and international.
- Domestic tourism involves people who live in Australia and travel
elsewhere within Australia.
- International tourism (in an Australian context) involves people
leaving Australia to visit other countries (outbound tourists), and
people who visit Australia from other countries (inbound tourists).
Fluctuations in international tourism
Tourist numbers fluctuate from year to year and from season to season. During
2002, the number of outbound tourist departures from Australia increased
by 0.5 per cent. This may not sound significant, but it was a pleasing
result after a 1.6 per cent decrease in 2001. After rising a very healthy
10.6 per cent during 2000, inbound tourism decreased in the following
two-year period, although signs of improvement are being seen.
These trends reflect many factors. Whilst the fluctuating international value
of the Australian dollar may have had some effect on the affordability of Australians
to travel overseas, there can be little doubt that the September 11th
2001 events in the United States have had a major impact on tourism the world
over.
See the following tables for figures on:
- Australians travelling abroad, including tourists, 1991–2002
- why Australians travelled abroad in 2002
- where Australians travelled abroad in 2002.
Table 1: Australians travelling abroad, including tourists, 1991–2002
|
Year
|
Departures (millions)
|
|
1991
|
2.09
|
|
1992
|
2.27
|
|
1993
|
2.26
|
|
1994
|
2.35
|
|
1995
|
2.52
|
|
1996
|
2.73
|
|
1997
|
2.93
|
|
1998
|
3.16
|
|
1999
|
3.21
|
|
2000
|
3.50
|
|
2001
|
3.44
|
|
2002
|
3.46
|
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics
Table 2: Why Australians travelled abroad in 2002
|
Main purpose of trip
|
Number of people
(’000)
|
|
Business
|
695.7
|
|
Holiday
|
2,359.0
|
|
Employment
|
101.4
|
|
Education
|
44.0
|
|
Other
|
261.0
|
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics
Table 3: Where Australians travelled abroad, 2002
|
Country or region of main destination
|
Total
2000
|
Change between
2001 and 2002
(%)
|
|
Oceania
|
866.0
|
26.1
|
|
United Kingdom and Other Europe
|
714.7
|
9.1
|
|
South-East Asia
|
866.5
|
–20.0
|
|
China (including. Hong Kong, but excluding Taiwan Prov.)
|
277.4
|
19.2
|
|
Other Asia
|
323.9
|
5.9
|
|
United States of America
|
299.1
|
1.9
|
|
Other America
|
102.3
|
–2.8
|
|
Middle East, North Africa and Other Africa
|
145.7
|
23.9
|
|
Not stated
|
2.3
|
–89.1
|
Source from which this table was adapted: Australian Bureau
of Statistics
Incoming (inbound) tourism: length of stay, down
In 2002, forty-two per cent of visitors to Australia stayed more than
two weeks, a significant reduction compared to 1999 when the figure was sixty-two per cent.
Perhaps, and in spite of Australia’s relative geographical isolation, its distance
from other countries at a time of international uncertainty encouraged a reduction
in the length of visit.
Incoming (inbound) tourism: number of visits, up
Despite setbacks since September the 11th, in the decade since 1991/1992,
inbound visits to Australia have increased by 89 per cent (or by the equivalent of more than 2.2 million visits, made by 4.8 million visitors).
At first this figure may seem surprisingly high, but travel to Australia
has been inexpensive for many whose currencies are strong against the dollar,
and Australia continues to be seen as a relatively safe destination (despite
some well-publicised aberrations). The continuing recovery of the Australian
tourism industry will be watched with great interest.
|
