TOURISM DATA WEB FOR THE REEF
CRC Reef researchers working in James Cook University's Department
of Tourism are developing a web of reliable, detailed research data describing
tourists visiting the Reef and surrounding regions. At the centre
of the web is a series of major survey studies being conducted by the
researchers throughout the Reef region.
In addition to these specific studies, researchers are building up their
web of data by contributing to the design of other tourism research and
by analysing existing tourism data sets looking for relevant Reef information.
The most recent addition to the web is data from the Queensland Visitor
Survey (QVS) collected for the Queensland Tourist and Travel Corporation
(QTTC). With the cooperation of both QTTC staff and researchers from Purdue
University, CRC Reef researchers have begun investigating potential Reef
visitors in this dataset.
The QVS uses an eight page questionnaire distributed to visitors through
a sample of accommodation properties throughout Queensland. While impossible
to identify people who actually visit the Reef, the survey questions people
to list the reasons, features or attractions that prompt them to visit
regions in which they are surveyed. Analysis of their answers finds two
groups who give the Reef as a major attraction for their visit. Both groups
are relatively young, have high percentages of overseas visitors and are
most likely to be travelling alone or with one other person.
For the first group, called Reef Visitors, the Reef is the most
popular and most important attraction. In this group, 97% say the Reef
is a reason for visiting - 82% say it is the most important reason. The
second group say the Reef is a popular and important reason but not as
important as warm sunny weather or as popular as rainforests and national
parks. Visitors in this Nature-Oriented Group are interested in
both land and marine based natural attractions.
For the Cairns/North Queensland region both groups account for 63% of
all visitors surveyed in the region making them a major tourist market
for operators. In the Whitsundays region they make up 34% of the visitor
market and in the Townsville region they account for 31% of the visitors
surveyed. The CRC Reef researchers are currently working with the QTTC
to produce more detailed information about these different types of visitors
or market segments to assist tourist operators in the development of more
specific marketing strategies.
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