Australia and Oceania Travel Forum

I have a little survey here re: tourism. It’s for people who have been to, or could be thinking of one day coming to Australia.
In a few days time I’m going for my first real paid tourism job in the accommodation sector, and I plan to use findings from this forum at the interview.
Any help you can give me would be most gratefully accepted.
Theory: My theory is that these days, less and less travellers are opting for organised tours (elsewhere or in Australia alike) unless, for example, they’re in the over 65 or 70 age group or haven’t much idea of how they’d get around/ or are unwilling to drive on the other side of the road.
Question 1: If you were to come to Australia, how would you choose to get around?
Plane, coach/bus, car or motorhome?
Question 2: If travelling around independently, i.e., by hire vehicle, how would you plan your trip?
A: Online research (VT, forums, Internet sites) before you leave home
Or B: figure it all out when you get here and use Visitor Information Centres, etc.
Question 3: What type of accommodation would you prefer to stay in?
Bed & Breakfast guesthouse, Hotel/Motel, Hostel or Caravan Park? (bearing in mind that our caravan parks seem to operate quite differently here to Europe: many towns here have several, often centrally located van parks, and choice of accom ranges from tent sites, to on site vans, to sometimes luxury cabins)
Thanks so much if anyone can contribute!

Australia Tourism

Like many others, I have a long-standing curiosity about Australia. The films of Peter Weir were my introduction to the continent and I have been interested in it ever since.
But first things first … Australia is a long way from New York and my perception is that the cost to get their would be very high – that is one thing that has kept me from making the journey.
Second, aside from what I might learn on a forum like VT, or films etc … I would not have any idea of how to get around. I think your biggest challenge as a tourism person is to get more information out there about what there is to see and do in Australia – and make suggestions about how best to get around. I can only speak for myself, but my perception of Australia is that there are vast stretches of empty countryside with occasional cites … a rather inhospitable climate … and a great deal of hot, flat landscape. I understand there are some beautiful cites that hug the coastline – and colorful local characters who seem to eat a great deal of BBQ shrimp … but I don’t know anything about cultural or historical or natural phenomena (aside from the much touted Ayer’s Rock) that might cause me to spend the time and money required to experience this place.
If I were to visit Australia, I would plan to spend some time (ten days or so) and would also probably visit New Zealand.
I would not “figure it out when I got there” … like I said earlier – I think there needs to be some aggressive marketing by the Australian Tourist board directed toward people who are curious (like me) about Australia, but don’t know enough about it to justify the expense and time.
I would not use a tour company.
I would never use a motor home because they are ecologically unfriendly and crowd the road (my personal opinion.
Good luck on your interview.

Hi Kathryn,

I have been Australia many times and I haven't join any group tours.

For distant overland travel, such as Sydney-Brisbane, Sydney-Melbourne, Melbourne-Horbart, I generally fly. I will get a hired car at the airport and drive around the local area using the state capital cities as a base. Places that I have driven include
Melbourne to Phillip Island, Ocean
Road, Ballarat;
Perth to Albany, Pinnicles,
Besselton;
Sydney to Canberra, Blue
Mountains
Horbart - Launceston and round
island
Adelaide - Geelong and
surrounding areas

I will then return the hired car at the airport before flying off.

For points of interest, I depend on local visitors information and visitors guide books. I have a good road atlas of Australia.

I generally stay in hotels, mainly in 3-star hotels but occasionally in 5-star hotels as well. Often times, I use hotels managed by Flag.

Do send me a note if you require any further information.

regards.chia

For first timer Malaysian usually - they use tour package from Malaysia common - it cost FROM a mere AUD 1500 which includes many meals, and accomodation and sight seeing.

For those who have more to spend, they opt for better hotels. For the younger set of people, they will buy a ticket and bulk in hotel accomodation - Free and Easy and the travel agents here have lots of hotel choices to suit all kinds of budget - it usually comes with 5 nights 6 days plus city tour and something cultural.

But for those who are net friendly - like me - i buy my tickets from a travel agent, book my hotels on net -or get the company to book hotels at corporate rates, and get there - try a local or hotel tour, eg in Melb would be like Melbourne Best Tours, AAT etc.

I use VT to gather info - eating places, sight seeing tips and good quality souveniers to buy

I DO visit as many Tourist Info stop - get a local map and ask questions - usually stopover for 15 minutes - more if time allows.

trains, ferries OK - planes cheapest - and fastest - so I opt for speed and price tag!!!

Never ever tried camping, cabin type of holidays - mostly comfortable hotels. Lots of ASian - if they have company of 4 would consider renting a car and go to Philip Island.

My opinion is that the problem with many Asian travellers - they see mostly the popular staff - and claims to see it all. It takes many many trips to the same place to see the depth of the local life and trully appreciate it - i guess having local friends and perhaps sites like VT helps to fine tune many less stereo type travellers. A lot of Asians love to say - i have been there and done that - lets move on - when they have say seen Opera House in Sydney = they can claim seeing Australia!!! which is very sad - there is so much of Australia to be seen.

The saddest part was once an American telling me - to see Australia is what US was in the 1960s!!! I nearly cried my heart out

Thanks so much Richard for your very helpful answer (raises some questions too, but I think that's great - Tourism people do need to know where things need improvement.) I guess when we send ambassadors to US like Croc Dundee and the Crocodile man Steve, we shouldn't be surprised when people don't receive an accurate picture of Oz. Maybe what Oz Tourism should concentrate on a lot is the fact that US residents get practically double for your money when they come here....often I wonder why there aren't whole crowds of US visitors here because of this..but if they don't know, they can't take advantage of it.

Thanks a lot for your reply Chia. That's great you manage to get around in Oz so well (I guess the more times you come, the more confident you get). For me, I'm stuck with public transport when I go to Europe, because I'd be terrified to drive on the other side of the road.

Thanks a lot Audrey for your perspective from the Asian sector. I had a fair idea of how the more non-english speaking travellers get around when they come here, to say places like Ballarat's Sovereign Hill, but it was great to learn about their more Australia-wide trends.
Maybe companies should get employees to do surveys on forums so they can meet visitor needs better - I've learned some very surprising things, and this is just the beginning of my research!
Thanks so much again everyone, it's proving to be very helpful.

Ok!
Let me answer your survey now since One day or another I will come to visit you!!!!
I think your theory that says organised tours are less and less popular is not so true (though it may be in Australia...) a lot of people travel to rest and be "served" sort of thing. They mostly work all around the year and they don't want to spend more energy in there holidays. Also, I find they are often reluctant to mingle with local people (especially in none westernised countries) which is a shame of course .These people often travel in group, they spoil very touristic places and the local people's mentality there tends to be corrupted by the flow of money. It's a shame but that's life.
Question one: I'd rent a car I guess or hitchhiking if I have time. It's such a large country.
Question 2: I'll make sure to come to visit you. Otherwise, I'd read a good guide book to give me an idea of interesting things but i guess i'd go where the wind carries me mainly!!! As far as accomodation is concerned, I'd say camping when possible or cheap hotels.
Voilà!!!

Having been to Australia 2x, I'm far from an expert. But I sure love it there.
1. I've been fortunate to have had friends to drive me around. But I have also done day coach tours out of Sydney. How I would travel again, depends upon where I'm going to be and how much time I have.
I would fly were it to say, Perth from Sydney. But if I had enough time, I'd drive with a hired/rental car up the coast, or down to Melbourne & Adelaide. It would also depend if I could then drop the car off there and fly back out of where-ever I am. I would like to take the train, I hear that is quite spectacular. I tend to do a mixture of independent & tour trips when I go traveling.
2 A Before I decide how to go, I first do lots of Research - I would do reading, tour guidebooks, and online research before I go, and then also check with Travel offices or consulates; and if the travel agent has anything that they can help me with. The cost of traveling there is just too expensive to go without feeling like I had some kind of game plan. I normally tend not to like to have every moment planned out, because weather changes things, as does the chance that i see something that really appeals and want to do that.
B. Accomodations - I enjoy B&B or small guest houses, sometimes I like to stay at a resort, but on the way to someplace, a motel that is clean is all I need. I'd never tried a van park, but that sounds terrific.
Good luck in your career.

A lot of people - esplly Asians are not aware that many many countries do offer concessions to Senior Citizen. I know for sure in Hong Kong when you buy passes for the train services, you get about 40 pct saving if you are over 65 years old. And being a Marriotts Hotel rewards member, they have special discount for members who are senior citizen - it can be between 10-15 pct savings. I am very sure that for much of public transport in Australia also recognise concession for Senior Citizens, and they should highlight it to tourists. OK - you may say that the money to be made are from the younger generations, but the older people do travel pretty often. Even during the travel fair in Malaysia, they offer discounts on air tickets for senior citizens for overseas trips.

And to correct you - most Malaysians and Asians for that matter of fact speak English - it is our second language at school since 6 years old. So english is not a problem for most Asian tourists esplly to Australia - which we consider a cheap destination vs Europe.

I planned my trip by visiting forums such as this one, lots of on line research, and reading guide books. We stayed in several b&b's, and but mostly hotels. Our preference is a b&b though. We rented a car for our 3 week trip, but we did have a couple of one day tours booked in between, such as Kangaroo Island.
Hope that helps!
Julie

Hey, thanks for contributing Adam, I'll add it to my research.