New Touring Route for Australia Travelers

Tourism Queensland (Australia) has unveiled "The Great Sunshine Way," a new touring route geared towards drive tourism. The route will link key southern Queensland regions, including the Gold Coast, Brisbane, the SunshineCoast, the FraserCoast and the southern country areas of Queensland. Hotel packages haven't yet been created to accompany the drive route, although discussions are underway.

Other Australian travel trends were highlighted by WendyHills, manager of Australian experiences for Tourism Australia, and ecotourism was high on the list. Hills noted that in 2006, 15 percent of international visitors to Australia included an ecotourism component in their visit. Other important markets included food and wine; and spa, health and wellbeing. The number of international visitors including a spa visit in their travels in Australia more than doubled in 2006, reaching a total of 109,000. Hills referred to one important market as the "learning aspect of travel." Hills described these visitors as, "Looking to learn new information, obtain fresh insights and to experience and participate in the life and culture of Australia."