Creative Nation - Cultural Tourism

http://www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/tourism.html

Cultural Tourism
growth of tourism in australia
Over the last decade, tourism has emerged as one of Australia's most significant growth industries. Since the early 1980s, the number of overseas tourists to Australia each year has more than tripled to 3 million and export earnings have grown from $1.9 billion to $10.7 billion. Domestic tourism is forecast to grow at a steady rate of nearly 2 per cent each year. A significant contribution to this growth is made by cultural tourism. The experiences generated by Australian performances, visual arts and our heritage are unique. Cultural tourism embraces the full range of experiences visitors can undertake to learn what makes a destination distinctive - its lifestyle, its heritage, its arts, its people - and the business of providing and interpreting that culture to visitors. Recent studies have shown that a significant and increasing proportion of both domestic and international visitors are looking for cultural experiences as a major component of their holidays. This was one of the key findings of the Study of Cultural Tourism in Australia, commissioned by the Arts and Tourism portfolios (1991), and recognised by the Department of Tourism in the National Tourism Strategy (1992), and the Cultural Tourism Project (1993). The importance of cultural tourism in regional areas was highlighted by the Regional Development Task Force (1993), which recommended that the Arts and Tourism portfolios develop a National Cultural Tourism Strategy. This Report proposed that the two portfolios investigate mechanisms and programs to improve access to the arts and culture and to enhance the presentation and marketing of cultural tourism products and activities. The Government will further develop links between the Department of Tourism, the Australia Council and the Department for Communications and the Arts to initiate programs to provide further opportunities for cultural tourism. The Cultural Industry Development Program will allocate $250,000 annually to initiatives to develop cultural tourism including: measures to enhance the business management skills of the cultural industries as they apply to cultural tourism, utilising existing business development programs; measures to improve access by the cultural industries to tourist markets, including the development of marketing and distribution networks; and the identification of new tourist markets for cultural products. Through these initiatives, cultural bodies will be encouraged to consider their potential to attract tourists and to encourage regions with cultural attractions to develop this aspect of their area and then successfully market their product.

australian tourism commission

The significance of the cultural tourism market has been recognised by the Australian Tourist Commission (ATC) which has nominated 1995 as a year of Celebration of Australian Art and Culture and 1996 as a year of Festivals. As part of the promotional activity for the year, the ATC has produced: a Directory of Events and Contacts which includes a calendar of cultural events and information on performing arts, festivals and heritage attractions; an information brochure which provides an overview of Australian arts and culture from a tourist's perspective; and a Guidebook containing information on topics such as visual arts, music and film.

international cultural tourism

International visitors to Australia are attracted by the distinctive features of Australian culture which cannot be duplicated elsewhere in the world. Their interest in Australian culture is evident from the Survey of International Visitors to Australia and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts, conducted in 1993. Sponsored by the Australia Council, it gives information on the cultural interests of international visitors: Forty eight per cent of international tourists to Australia were interested in seeing and learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. Over a third of visitors to Australia undertook an activity related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture; for example, visiting a gallery or museum, or taking a tour involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. The value of purchases of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and souvenirs by international visitors was estimated at $46 million a year in 1991, an increase from $30 million in 1990. Tourists are a significant client group for the full spectrum of our cultural industry groups, from performing arts to craftspeople and manufacturers.

domestic cultural tourism

1 of 2 21/10/09 7:17 PM

Creative Nation - Cultural Tourism

http://www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/tourism.html

The Survey of Australian Domestic Tourists' Cultural Participation, conducted in 1990-91, showed that the focus of domestic tourism was heritage sites, craft workshops and multicultural fairs and markets. The Government believes that improved marketing and product development in this area will increase the domestic cultural tourism sector by extending the length of visit, increasing daily expenditure during the holiday and encouraging Australians to holiday in their own country.

Go to Previous Chapter

| Return to Table of Contents |

2 of 2

21/10/09 7:17 PM