WHY IT’S TIME TO HIT THE ROAD TO FNQ

TO take advantage of a returning interest in domestic tourism, Far North tourism operators need to start luring the demographic that can show us at our best – the social media generation.

With a diverse environment featuring tropical rainforests, outback hills, crystal blue reefs and unique wildlife, the Far North has a lot to offer for travellers on the road.

According to demographer Bernard Salt, domestic tourism in Australia is undergoing a resurgence, after a flat period in the early 2000s when petrol prices were killing the family road trip and affordable offshore destinations like Bali and Phuket appeared new and exotic.

“From around 2014 onwards, there’s a notable increase in domestic travel, and I think it’s because we’ve realised the home market has so much to offer,” he said.

“When it comes to domestic travel destinations, Queensland always wins out.

“I suspect that’s to do with a happy accident of geography – when people in New South Wales want to go for a holiday, they’ve only got to cross the Tweed and they’re in a state with a better climate and more to see and do.

“Of all the places to go in Queensland, the Far North is the furthest place to go, and what you’ve got to do is turn that distance into an asset.”

Domestic tourists are spending more time in Far North Queensland, with an average stay length of 5.1 nights per stay, the highest of any destination in Queensland.

“It’s the golden destination – tropical, a bit mysterious, instantly Instagrammable,” Mr Salt said.

Data suggests young couples and families are the new demographic Far North tourism operators must chase to bring domestic tourism back.

Young people are rediscovering the road trip, and putting a new spin on it through social media.

Recent figures from Tourism Research Australia showed that the caravan and camping industry is doing well, with a record 13 million domestic trips recorded across Australia, 2.6m of which were from Queensland, as well as total visitor expenditure exceeding $7.9b. One of the biggest takeaways from the new data was that young people were establishing themselves as a viable camping demographic, with the 20-29 age bracket undergoing 22 per cent growth.

While the 30-54-year-old demographic reigns supreme, accounting for 46 per cent of all trips, this shows the growing potential influence young campers are having.

Lake Tinaroo Holiday Park owner Lachlan Farquharson said they noticed a lot more young couples and families checking in over the past year, and tourism marketing was changing to reflect that.

“Getting back to nature is more important for the younger demographics, particularly when they’ve got kids with them,” he said.

“Social media has become such a powerful tool, and we see more young people trying to make a living out of it, blogging their way across a road trip of Queensland or Australia.

“People get that one perfect shot on Instagram and that’s what the experience is about for them.”

Mr Farquharson, who took over the Lake Tinaroo Holiday Park in March 2019, said he estimated business was up 20 per cent year-on-year for the park.

“Our primary focus is attracting young families,” he said.

“(But) You’ve always got to look after your grey nomads of course, they’re the lifeblood.”