The first comprehensive study to identify how Australia's tourism destinations can tap into the lucrative international student market has just been released.
The research, International Education Visitation – Tourism Opportunities, looked at which tourism products and services attract the half a million international students who study in Australia each year.
The research, from the Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre (STCRC) which is based at Griffith University, conducted the in depth survey of almost 6000 international students studying in Australia.
The results provide a significant wealth of information on preferred holiday destinations and experiences, how much money students spend on a trip, the varying travel behaviours of different nationality groups and the travel trends of friends and family who visit these students in Australia.
Of the students surveyed, 85 per cent had undertaken holiday travel while studying in Australia. Most of these trips were 1 to 3 days (38 per cent) and day trips (24 per cent).
International students tend to be opportunistic travellers, who travel in friendship groups (62 per cent), with family (15 per cent) or with their partner (15 per cent).
Research project leader, Professor Michael Davidson from Griffith University said the research identified key opportunities for tourism businesses and destinations to build value from the international student market.
"One of the key objectives of this research was to determine the differing travel behaviours of the varying student nationalities and their visiting family and friends," Professor Davidson said.
"What the research has identified is some very fundamental opportunities for tourism businesses and destinations to use this information to target special interest groups within this sector."
STCRC Chief Executive Officer Ian Kean said the research provided the tourism sector with information to develop strategies to attract this holiday market.
"More than 70 per cent of students will be visited by two or more friends and two or more family members during their time studying here," Mr Kean said.
"Not only does this indicate that there is a much higher proportion of these visitors than had been previously identified but the research has also revealed opportunities to develop products and packages that better target these visitors at specific times, such as graduation ceremonies."
Other findings
- For the majority of students (84 per cent), the average Australian holiday spend was less than $1000 per trip, however with most students (64.5 per cent) travelling in groups, this represents a significant tourism contribution to Australian destinations.
- The majority of respondents prefer to stay in hotels/motels (44 per cent) followed by holiday apartments (23.5 per cent) and backpacker hostels (22 per cent).
- These students generate a very large visiting family and friends market with over 70 per cent expecting at least two or more friends and two or more family members to visit them in Australia during their studying periods. The majority of these visitors (40 per cent) stay for one to two weeks. Only 36 per cent of these international visitors however will stay in commercial accommodation with just less than half staying with the international students.
Research Report
The research report is available for free download:
Researchers
- Professor Michael Davidson, Griffith University (Project Leader)
- Associate Professor Hugh Wilkins, Griffith University
- Professor Brian King, Victoria University
- Associate Professor Perry Hobson, Southern Cross University
- Associate Professor Stephen Craig-Smith, The University of Queensland
- Mrs Sarah Gardiner, Griffith University (Project Coordinator)