This is a topic we get asked about ALOT! Where to find a statistic on this or that or where to go for a reliable source of tourism information. So here are our favourite places to find great, reliable and up-to-date facts and figures for your next business case, tourism project or marketing strategy (in no particular order!)
#1 - tourism australia
Tourism Australia is a trusty resource for fresh tourism data and insights. With a dedicated insights team at the helm and with access to partner data, Tourism Australia presents the findings in attractive and easy-to-understand snapshots. Their research is timely and current.
The most current research is called the 'Future of Demand' research and covers 143 experiences across 20 markets and four target audiences: the High Yielding Traveller, Premium, Working Holiday Makers, and a more generic Long Stay audience. There were also three deep dive sections covering Sustainable travel, Indigenous insights, and Accessible Travel.
#2 - state tourism organisation (ST0)
Wherever you are in Australia, check out your state tourism organisation (or STO) website for a view of your State and regions within the State. The layout and readability vary from State-to-State and we find some are a bit daggy and hard to decipher. However on the plus side, it does provide great insights specifically for the region or city you are interested in.
Find your STO research and insights below
#3 - tourism research Australia (TRA)
Tourism Research Australia is a branch within the Australian Government's Austrade. It is Australia's leading provider of quality tourism intelligence across both international and domestic markets that informs government policy.
We are fans of their tourism forecasting feature as well as having the option of downloading the reports or accessing the raw data. We've found that when you email them with specific research you want to find, their response has been quick, friendly and very helpful!
We recommend signing up for their newsletter to get current research dropped into your inbox as a good reminder of new releases!
#4 - Australian bureau of statistics (ABS)
We won't lie - the ABS data can be dry reading - but it can provide some great arrivals research as well as the state of the nation with the Census. We recommend checking out the 'Travel & Transport' Industry section for the latest tourism research for overseas arrivals and departures, where they came from as well as transport and tourist accommodation stats.
#5 - travel research
Many online travel agents are now publishing their own research using the powerful collective data of their booking systems and customers. Download their free reports for insights into popular travel destinations, how visitors are travelling and spending plus what's important to the current traveller.
#6 - gOOGLE tRENDS
A fun way to keep up-to-date on the hottest trending search terms from Google. Simple, intuitive and easy to use, Google Trends is a great way to keep your finger on the pulse.
Try searching for your destination and your competitor to see where you stand in Google and what people are searching to find you - you may be surprised by the results!
#7 - macro research & trends
For a wider view of the world and what's trending to help guide your strategies and plans, check out these fantastic resources for global travel and tourism industry insights.
And that's a wrap! We will continue to update as we discover new resources so keep checking back to Tourism Talk. What are your favourite resources for insights and trends? Tell us about them below and we can add them to the list!