The great Aussie road trip is synonymous with tourism and holidaying in Australia. The domestic holiday is the way we connect, explore and recharge with family and friends. Whether it’s piling into the family car and heading to the coast, visiting a caravan park over the school holidays, or heading to the mountains over a long weekend, a domestic holiday is an Aussie tradition.
We want to see more Australians enjoying more of this country by making it easier to travel, and giving them a compelling reason to venture beyond capital cities. We want to see a future where tourism continues to grow, offering Australians employment opportunities, a chance to reconnect and explore local communities, and greater amenity in regional areas. So if you're thinking of embarking on a great Australian road trip, here are seven reasons why you should do just that.
1. Reconnect with loved ones, country and nature
People often go to great lengths to reconnect with their family and friends around the country. For many, the main reasons for travelling to regional Australia are not necessarily associated with place – it is about the people-to-people connections. People are often drawn to nature-based and bucket-list holidays in Australia and with many of Australia’s varied natural landscape and unique fauna and flora best experienced outside of capital cities, this desire for nature based offerings is best explored via a road trip.
Unique, one-of-a-kind, brag-worthy experiences are what inspire us to travel. Lucky for us, Australia is rich in these experiences. Our natural environment is vast and varied, providing a range of experiences that attract people to our towns. Our culture is diverse and engaging, providing opportunities for travellers to learn and share these experiences with those they are closest with.
2. Support local tourism
Over the last 12 months there has been a greater emphasis and need for Australians to support local businesses, initially in light of the bushfires and now COVID-19. One of the most effective ways to do this is by exploring your own backyard, and providing a boost for the local economy. Last year, Australians spent about $65 billion on overseas travel. With more of us travelling locally, this can be injected into the domestic tourism market, helping support regional communities.
3. Unexpected events cause downturn in busy peak periods
Drought, bushfires, floods, and COVID-19 are all unexpected occurrences that have impacted the tourism sector and particularly the regional communities. As a result, people are reluctant to visit affected areas and are in turn affiliating unaffected towns with those affected. Towns, retailers and accommodation that rely on annual peak periods have seen their businesses and livelihoods affected by the lack of visitation.
4. Domestic tourism creates more jobs
Tourism is an important contributor to Australia’s economy, representing 3.2% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and one in 20 Australian jobs. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show about three in 10 accommodation and food sector jobs have been lost since mid-March. With local hotels and restaurants now open for business, there’s never been a better time for you to visit - the demand for goods and services generated by tourism not only supports employment and economic activity in the tourism sector, but other industries that are also linked.
5. Engaging with first Australians
Travel provides visitors with an opportunity to engage with other cultures. Just as people want to connect in our natural environment, they also want to engage in meaningful conversations with locals and the Traditional Owners of the places they visit to understand their history, culture and experiences. Tourism gives First Australians a chance to tell their story their way, to share cultural insights, traditional practices and contemporary concerns with all Australians.
