Australia Destination Analysis - Essay Example

Australia Destination Analysis The tourism industry of any country is a significant factor in its economic growth and Australia is no different. Tourism is a vital part of Australian economy. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Tourism Satellite the direct tourism GDP in 2009-10 increased 3.2% to 33.9 billion dollars which was even more than the overall growth of the economy (Australian Government).In 2011 Australia’s tourism industry represented 2.5% of the country’s GDP which means that the contribution of tourism to the Australian economy was 94.8 million per day (Australian Bureau of Statistics). The same year had a record of overseas arrivals that is 5.9 million visitors came to the country (Australian Bureau of Statistics). There are many famous tourist destinations in Australia some of which include the cities of Melbourne and Sydney, Queensland, the Great Barrier Reef which is the largest reef of the world and the Gold Coast. Other popular tourist spots are Uluru, Tasmanian wilderness and the Australian outback.
One must not forget that tourism and a country’s transportation are strongly interlinked since tourism is all about travel. Thus it is imperative that due attention is given to the transport system of a country so tourism can expand. There are several modes of transport in Australia out of which road travel is most common. There are over three hundred airports and an extensive rail network. You can choose to travel by road that is by a bus or coach or travel by train which is quite a convenient plus affordable means of transport in Australia. You can also opt for ferries such as the Sealink ferries or the ferry service run by the Spirit of Tasmania. The government has paid a lot of attention in developing the best transport system which is a reason why tourism is a great experience in Australia.
The success of the tourism industry also lies in the fact that a lot of marketing is done in order to promote tourism. There have been several tourism campaigns that have aimed at the laid back style of the country. These include the advertising campaign of the 1980s that featured actor Paul Hogan saying "Ill slip an extra shrimp on the barbie for you" and the divisive campaign in 2006 that was done in UK. It used the Australian colloquialism phrase "So where the bloody hell are you?" In 2009 the federal minister of tourism launched another marketing campaign ‘No Leave No Life’ that encouraged employees to take their annual leaves in Australia. The most recent tourism promotion ‘There’s Nothing like Australia’ tells Australians to tell the world about their favorite holiday destination and experience in Australia.
Australia is a very popular holiday destination. Such a place is bound to be affected by the millions of incoming tourists from all over the world. The Great Reef for example has more than two million tourists each year. This requires careful management of the place such as camping permits and marine tourism to have minimal effect on the reef. . It is not only the government that wants to promote all kinds of tourism (domestic and international) in the country but also other tourism organizations such as travel agencies and local businesses that provide tourist services.
REFERENCES
Australian Bureau of Statistics. "5249.0 - Australian National Accounts: Tourism Satellite Account, 2010-11." Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2011. Web. 11 Apr. 2013. .
Australian Government. "Tourism GDP Growth Exceeds Economy Average." The Hon Gary Gray AO MP. Australian Government, 15 Dec. 2010. Web. 11 Apr. 2013. Read More