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4172.0 - Arts and Culture in Australia: A Statistical Overview, 2010  
Previous ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 19/10/2010   
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Contents >> Tourism >> DOMESTIC CULTURAL TOURISM

DOMESTIC CULTURAL TOURISM

According to the 2009 National Visitor Survey, the most popular reason for spending time away from home was to go on a holiday (50%). Other reasons were to visit friends and relatives (30%) and travelling for business (14%).

The National Visitor Survey reported that Australians aged 15 years and over took 144.4 million day trips in 2009, compared with 135.6 million in 2008. A day trip is a round trip distance of at least 50 kilometres, with the traveller being away from home for at least four hours, but not overnight. Routine travel such as commuting between work and home is excluded.

Data from the TRA Culture and Heritage Tourism in Australia publication shows that 9.5 million domestic day trips were cultural and heritage day trips. A cultural and heritage trip is one that includes visiting or experiencing at least one of the following:

  • The theatre, a concert, or other performing art
  • A museum or art gallery
  • Art, craft workshops or studios
  • Festivals, fairs or cultural events
  • Aboriginal art, craft and cultural displays
  • An Aboriginal site or community
  • Historical/heritage buildings, sites or monuments

During 2009, Australians aged 15 years and over took 66.1 million overnight trips within Australia. Of this, 14% (9.3 million) were cultural and heritage visitors, who spent a collective 50 million nights away, that involved travelling at least 40 kilometres from home.

Visiting museums or art galleries was the most popular cultural activity for domestic overnight visitors, with 43% attending, compared to 36% of domestic day visitors. Visits to historical/heritage buildings, sites or monuments attracted 29% of overnight visitors and 25% of day visitors.

According to Tourism Research Australia's Snapshots 2009 Cultural and Heritage Tourism in Australia, domestic overnight cultural and heritage visitors spent $9,600m in 2009. The average amount spent per trip was $1,030 compared to those not participating in cultural and heritage activities, who spent on average $578 per trip.

2.2 DOMESTIC CULTURAL AND HERITAGE VISITORS, By activity type - 2009
Percentage
of domestic overnight
cultural and
heritage visitors
Percentage
of domestic day
cultural and
heritage visitors
Type of cultural and heritage tourism activity
%
%
Attend theatre, concerts or other performing arts
23
23
Visit museums or art galleries
43
36
Visit art/craft workshops/studios
6
5
Attend festivals/fairs or cultural events
19
20
Experience Aboriginal art/craft and cultural displays
3
2
Visit an Aboriginal site/community
2
1
Visit historical/heritage buildings, sites or monuments
29
25
Source: Tourism Research Australia 2009, Cultural and Heritage Tourism in Australia, 2009.



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