AusLeisure

Nearly one in five (18%) Australian who took a holiday in the past year visited a national park or forest on their last trip - a higher proportion than those who went to museums (15%) or art galleries (11%) or bars/nightclubs (6%).

The latest findings from the Roy Morgan Holiday Tracking Survey reveal that in the 12 months to February 2015, 2,239,000 Australians visited a national park/forest on their last holiday.

86% of these visitors agreed with the statement "I prefer to holiday where I can see nature or be in a natural setting", a considerably higher proportion than the national average (76%); while 81% said they "like to take my holidays away from crowds" (also higher than the national average of 74%).

True to their nature-focused holiday preferences, people who went to a national park or forest on their last trip have marked green leanings: 72% agree with the statement "At heart I’m an environmentalist" compared with 62% of average Australian holidaymakers.

How do national park visitors differ from other holiday-goers?

NP-holidaygoers. Source: Roy Morgan Single Source (Australia), March 2014 – February 2015 (n=10,422). Base: Australians 14+ who took a holiday in last 12 months

This sensibility extends to their accommodation choices. While 20% of Australians who took a trip in the last 12 months agree that "For my next holiday I’d really like a total ecotourism experience" and 18% "avoid staying at accommodation that does not have genuine environmental policies", these figures rise to 26% and 22% respectively among people who visited a national park/forest on their last trip.

In contrast, national-park visitors show less inclination than other holidaymakers to "do as little as possible" on holiday (26% vs 36%), preferring instead to be "always very active" on their trips (64% vs 56%). Indeed, above-average proportions of them take part in holiday pursuits such as bushwalking, surfing, swimming, fishing, bike-riding and "other outdoor activities".

Commenting on the findings, Roy Morgan Research Chief Executive Michele Levine stated "what we do on holiday can reveal a lot about us: our attitudes, demographics, habits and preferences.

"For example, with its wide-ranging data collected from 50,000 Australians per annum, the Roy Morgan Holiday Tracking Survey shows that people who visit national parks or forests while on holiday tend to be more environmentally aware and energetic than the average Australian holiday-goer.

"They’re also more likely to do prior research and get advice from friends or relatives before deciding where to take their holiday.

"Given that they like to pack as much action and natural scenery into their trip as possible, this kind of knowledge-gathering ensures that their chosen destination meets all their requirements.

"Interestingly, the energetic spirit that national park trippers bring to their holidays is also evident in their day-to-day lives, and they’re consistently more likely than other Aussie holiday-goers to go to the beach, take day trips, visit historical houses or buildings, and go to zoos/wildlife parks in an average three months.

"Armed with an in-depth understanding of the kind of people who visit national parks on holiday, regional tourism bodies and travel agents are better placed to tailor their communications accordingly and reach this important niche market."

For more information contact contact Vaishali Nagaratnam of Roy Morgan Research on 03 9224 5309, E: Vaishali.Nagaratnam@roymorgan.com

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