Article du magazine Greyhound

(Greyhound, c'est le nom de la compagnie de bus avec laquelle j'ai voyage, jusqu'a maintenant, de Melbourne a Adelaide, et d'Alice Springs, jusqu'a Adelaide. L'article ci dessous, en anglais)

RECORD BACKPACKERS VISIT AUSTRALIA

A record 551.000 backpackers spent more than $2.8 billion in the year ended March 2007 - indicating a rebound in what is one of Australia's most vibrant visitor markets.
According to Julian Ledger, Chair of the Australian Tourism Export Council's (ATEC) Backpacker Tourism Advisory Panel, the strong numbers were heartening after a sift three to for years.
"Backpackers are one of the highest-spending, longest-staying groups of visitors and while they have a tight budget on items such as food and accomodation, they travel widely throughout the country and enjoy themselves with entertainment, tours ands other activities.
The average backpacker spends 5000$ while they are in Australia and additionally, they fill essential jobs in the hospitality and agricultural industries, particularly in regional Australia".
Latest Department of Immigration working holiday maker visa figures also indicated Australia was on track to issue a record 130.000 visas the 2006/07 financial year.
Recent changes to the Working Holiday Maker scheme also meant that backpackers could spend six months rather than three with a single employer and could apply for a second year visa once they had completed a minimum three month's agricultural work.
This was good news for the country's labour-starved hospitality and agricultural industries, particularly in regional areas.
Mr Ledger, who is also head of YHA NSW, said the way in which backpackers travelled around Australia had however changed in recent years. "The introduction of the lower cost airlines has meant that ground carriers such as Greyhound must compete not so much on price but on experience." Mr Ledger Said. "The challenge then is to offer specialised products which appeal not so much to backpackers' wallet, but to their senes of adventure in getting 'off the beaten track' to those parts of Australia they would not be able to acces by air. We are now seeing that most backpackers will fly some domestic legs and then mix and match with ground transport."
Mr Ledger said while backpackers were big internet users, most still preferred to buy travel from a tour desk or independent travel agent who could give them advice and help with itinerary planning in a large, unfamiliar country.
He said products such as open dated passes and get on/get off opportunities appealed to backpackers' desire for flexible travel.
"For example there where 10 YHA locations to visit between just Sydney and Brisbane. While the cheaper airfares have allowed for more flexibility in the way backpackers travel, Greyhound as the largest supplier of backpacker ground transport in Australia thanks to its national coverage and frequency of services plays an essential role."
In other figures : backpackers spent more than 39 millions nights in Australia in the year ended March 30. The Uk was the largest market with 128.000 visitors, followd by Germmany with 49.000, the US with 48.000, Korea with 37.000, New Zealand with 33.000 and Japan with 32.000.
Backpackers also spent an average $73 per night (up 1$ per night) and an average 72 nights in Australia (up seven nights).