Too much of confidence behind Australian tourism is beginning to hit the world’s second largest island hard. Not only are fewer tourists attracted to Australia, yet also cheap offers from airlines are starting to shift Australians abroad.
Australia has been told to get rid of the island mentality swiftly along with the attitude that tourists come to Australia all the time no matter whether there are advertising campaigns or any specific efforts made by tourist boards. It is said to be typical for Australians, who have never traveled to claim that their island is the best in the world and that everybody can’t wait to go there. It is a reflection of the so-called “big nation” complex, whereby people just rely on foreigners thinking their country is the most important and attractive on the planet.
This attitude is dangerous, particularly when it is not true. Australians have been suffering recently from a lack of revenue from the tourism industry. This has been caused by one simple factor: more Australians have been traveling abroad to enjoy their holidays than foreigners have been coming to Australia. Heavy discounting from airline companies has led Australians to be tempted away and foreigners have not made up the numbers. It has been estimated that holiday accommodation and costs are down 6% on June last year.
To take a concrete example: Cairns used to be flooded with Japanese tourists yet is now the heart of Australian unemployment. Australians need to learn that tourists will not come to Australia just because they think so. They must invest in marketing and respect that tourists have begun to look elsewhere for suitable locations to spend their holidays. The first step is to change the mentality.