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%).

S23.2 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.




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.




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.




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%).