1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2012  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 24/05/2012   
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Tourism

ARTICLE – FARM VISITS IN AUSTRALIA

In 2012, Australia celebrates the Australian Year of the Farmer. This special article recognises the year by looking at the link between tourism and Australian farms.

Each year thousands of visitors, both international and domestic, visit Australian farms. The International Visitor Survey (IVS) and the National Visitor Survey (NVS) both capture information on the number and type of people who participate in the activity 'visiting a farm' whilst travelling.

INTERNATIONAL VISITORS

In 2010, there were 569,000 international visitors who visited Australian farms, representing 10% of international visitor arrivals. This was an increase of 50,300 since 2009 (graph S23.1). The main source countries for international visitors to farms were China (excludes SARs and Taiwan) (108,000) and the United Kingdom (67,800) (table S23.2). Of all countries, visitors from China were the most likely to visit farms while travelling
(25% of all Chinese visitors), followed by Taiwan (22%) and Korea, Republic of (South) (20%).

S23.1 INTERNATIONAL VISITORS(a), Visited farms


S23.2 INTERNATIONAL VISITORS TO FARMS(a), By major source countries
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
'000
'000
'000
'000
'000

China (excludes SARs and Taiwan)
66.5
87.2
76.2
77.9
108.0
United Kingdom
82.4
69.7
67.2
70.9
67.8
Korea, Republic of (South)
55.7
51.2
39.2
30.1
40.4
United States of America
43.0
38.3
41.4
39.6
34.9
Singapore
29.6
31.8
33.6
29.8
31.0
New Zealand
29.2
34.6
30.8
29.6
29.9
Malaysia
16.4
19.8
22.7
28.3
27.1
Germany
25.6
26.4
24.5
22.7
25.5
Japan
38.1
32.0
28.8
22.6
21.0
Taiwan
13.3
18.8
14.9
13.1
17.7

(a) All visitors aged 15 years and over. Includes backpackers.
Source: Tourism Research Australia, 2011, International Visitors in Australia, December quarter 2010.


In 2010, the main purpose of the trip for international visitors who visited farms, was holidays (60%), followed by visiting friends and relatives (18%) and education (11%) (graph S23.3). Of all international visitors who visited Australia for educational purposes, 15% visited farms. Almost two-thirds (62%) of international visitors to farms were aged 15–44 years.

S23.3 INTERNATIONAL VISITORS TO FARMS(a), By main purpose of trip - 2010



DOMESTIC OVERNIGHT VISITORS

In 2010, there were 931,000 domestic overnight travellers who visited farms, representing 1.4% of overnight visitors. This was a decrease of 80,000 from 2009 and a decrease of 207,000 since 2006 (graph S23.4). Almost half (48%) of overnight visitors to farms in 2010 travelled for the purposes of holiday or leisure, and 44% travelled to visit friends and relatives.

S23.4 OVERNIGHT VISITORS(a), Visited farms



New South Wales received the most visitors to farms (36%) followed by Victoria (22%) and Queensland (18%) (graph S23.5). In 2010, almost half (46%) of overnight visitors were aged 15–44 years.

S23.5 OVERNIGHT VISITORS, VISITED FARMS(a), By state/territory visisted - 2010



DOMESTIC DAY VISITORS

During the year ended 2010, there were 1.0 million domestic day trips to farms, which accounted for less than 1% of domestic day visitors. This was a decrease of 119,000 from 2009 (graph S23.6). In 2010, of all day visitors who visited farms, the main purpose of their visit was for holiday or leisure (60%), followed by visiting friends and relatives (29%).

S23.6 DAY VISITORS(a), Visisted farms

 

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Statistics contained in the Year Book are the most recent available at the time of preparation. In many cases, the ABS website and the websites of other organisations provide access to more recent data. Each Year Book table or graph and the bibliography at the end of each chapter provides hyperlinks to the most up to date data release where available.