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Australian tourism industry 'in crisis'

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seems as through many international tourists are starting to realise what an overated and overpriced destination Australia really is (not to mention the non existant 'customer service')

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Wow! Spidapig24, I think your being a bit harsh on Japan! After all if you take away Australian beaches, Sydney harbour and the kangaroo you could say the same about Australia.

Also, your comment 'Not even mentioning the fact that if you dont speak Japanese good luck.', The Australian Tourism Commision (ATC) has not caught on yet that if it really wants to improve Tourism then Australian will need to start learning Chinese and other Asian languages. Not just speaking English! Asia is close, it's logical!

Japan has a train network, this is something Australia lacks. I've travelled from Syd to Mel by train it takes 12 hours, at least Japan has a workable network! And please don't confuse laid back with lazy! When is the ATC going to admit that they really don't know what they're doing? can we please admit to ourselves that kangaroos, beaches and tacky Aussie slang words do not work as tourism campaigns anymore. I agree with grammefriday, Australia is overpriced and overrated (and I'm Australian), but my opinion doesnt matter, what matters are the opinions of overseas visitors. The fact is that went people get to Australia a lot of them leave disappointed! This is due to expensive goods and services compared with other countries, our cities only have limited uniquely Australian touristic attractions, and a large majority of people aren't that interested in the outback and nature treks (which is what Australia has in abundance).

I'll add that more Australian than any other persons in the world travel overseas instead of their own country. If Australian won't even travel Australia then what hope do we have of foreigners coming to travel. Also, In the last 10 years the ATC have wasted a lot of money trying to get people to visit. Examples, the movie 'Australia' - $40-$50 Aus. millions on a blockbuster flop that no one went to see, Oprah Winfrey visit $5 US million ( did any Americans visit - NO!) . We can give the ATC more money for campaigns which is what they're after really, but the bottom line is if you don't invest in urban attractions, invest in improving cultural events, invest in building new sights that will wow people and start changing this "laid back" culture, then it's really good tax payer money wasted.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

As an Aussie, I was shocked to see how much prices have gone up steadily since the Olympics in 2000. A 600ml bottle of water for $3 or more?! Having to pay $4 for baggage trolleys at the airport? What a rort that is! Still, Oz is great in many ways but I don't think you can call it cheap anymore. Japan is cheaper in many areas unless you want to eat luxuriously every day. Pretty hard to buy lunch for $6 or $7 dollars Down Under but still quite do-able in Japan. And customer service in Japan is so much better. All you need to do is look friendly and smile! In Sydney, some restaurants almost make you feel guilty for ordering!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

In my opinion as an Australian,consumers back home are getting ripped right off,serendipitous is right....it's cheaper to buy Aussie beef in Osaka than Sydney..fruits thru the roof,$4 for a small bottle of coke at Woolies,$5 for 1 salmon fillet..crazy rents for Gold Coast holiday apartments ..the prize places spidapig mentions are in remote locations and are exorbitant to get out to,stay and experience...wouldnt give you 2 bob for the Blue Mountains..the only bargains in Australia are as mentioned Jetstar and Virgin for big city hopping,everything else you pay thru the nose

4 ( +4 / -0 )

A friend of a friend went to Australia. He had a minor criminal record. When he got off the plane, the custom's guy said "You aware that you have a criminal record?". Friend of a friend said "Sure, but I didn't know you still needed one to get in?" Needless to say, the little joke didn't go sit well with customs and they sent him all the way up over again. If you can't laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

JapanGal

I have kept away due to sharks and flies. Beaches do look pretty though.

Dont stay away due to sharks, just make sure when you go swimming let the tourists swim out deeper that way by the time the shark gets through them they arnt hungry.

3 ( +6 / -4 )

I went to Australia on vacation 2 years ago. I was shocked too how expensive everything was down there. But what was even more shocking was that when I entered a restaurant on the beach they didn't allow me in because I was wearing flipflops. Sorry to say this but I will never go to Australia again.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Spidapig24,

the main problems for Australia is probably distance, time and price (of the ticket). If I pay some 2000$ or so for an economy class flight (from Europe), I have to stay there at least a few weeks that it makes any sense flying there at all. And that means I need a long, continuous vacation (at least 3 or 4 weeks), which is a rarity for large parts of my generation (below 30). Job contracts and duties just suck. Australia might be interesting (and it is very popular in Germany), but personal circumstances are a hindrance.

I guess most people below 30 do not care so much about the quality of service. And most (at least moderately educated) people below 30 know enough English to find their way, if the Aussies can drop their slang for a moment.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Aussies need to get hip with the action and at least become BILINGUAL, first time I ran into Aussies was in Hawaii, real nice folk but I could not understand what the heck they were trying to say, almost as confusing as the native Hawaiian pigeon English, and this one guy comes up to me when I was waiting to catch a bus ok?? This Aussie says to me, IS THIS THE I bus?? I said NO! No this is the A bus ok?? This guy looked real confused, and again asks me if this is the I bus, and again I said no, and this guy looked like if he was about to cry and then say to me is this the I bus again and again I say NO! Then he says is this the I like in apple?? I say to this mate THERE IS NO I in APPLE, and I finally realized he was trying to say A!! Then I said nice, do you mean A?? Like in ABC, A?? He had a funny smile and looked surprised and said yes! yes! Never knew Aussies pronounced the A like an I so we both got on the same A bus, he, the Aussie think stupid Yanks, calling A, like eh ee, when everybody down under knows its really best to say Ah ee, like Ah ee in apple?? Ta mates!

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I moved back here to Australia in April due to radiation concerns for my young daughter after a long time living in Japan. The only thing here that is cheaper than in Japan is meat. Everything is overpriced, the cost of living is very high, service is non-existent, drugs and crime are running out of control, guns are readily available to criminals, you can't travel on public transport after dark, unless in a group, for safety reasons. I could go on, but can't be bothered, lol I'm fast becoming an Aussie again.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

grammefriday

seems as through many international tourists are starting to realise what an overated and overpriced destination Australia really is (not to mention the non existant 'customer service')

Hilarious, at least in Australia there are sights to see, tourists are catered for. And overpriced what a laugh. If you are talking overpriced lets look not further than Japan, a decent hotel if you can find one will set you back over $150 Australian dollars, shinkansens well their are worth a fortune, and tourist attractions just how many imitation rebuilt castles can one see, and after your 2nd or 3rd temple PHEW seen one seen em all. And the people they are about as welcoming as a bad case of rabies. Not even mentioning the fact that if you dont speak Japanese good luck.

I would actually guess that grammerfriday you have never been to Australia or if you have you had a bad experience but to say its overpriced is a joke if you care to check you will find flights, rail travel are cheap, decent hotels are well priced, and unlike Japan Australia actually caters for tourists. And as for customer service, l love Australian customer service. Laid back and relaxed....

2 ( +6 / -4 )

I would actually guess that grammerfriday you have never been to Australia or if you have you had a bad experience but to say its overpriced is a joke if you care to check you will find flights, rail travel are cheap, decent hotels are well priced, and unlike Japan Australia actually caters for tourists. And as for customer service, l love Australian customer service. Laid back and relaxed....

actually I am an Australian who has worked in the inbound tourist industry into Australia for 20 years at a senior management level.... I wasn't comparing Australia to Japan (which has its own problems) and my comments reflect those of many people within the industry in Australia... the tourism infastructure in Australia is old and dated and for many people its a long way to fly for what you actually get upon arrival... the lack of quality customer service has been recognised within the industry as an issue for many years - unfortunately 'laid back and relaxed' doesn't quite cut it when you have flown half way around the world at the prices the airlines charge to get there (Jetstar excepted where you get what you pay for - very little).... it doesn't matter how Australians see Australia, its what the customers perceptions and expectations are that counts and unfortunately at the moment Australia just doesn't cut it on the international market ...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Here is the proof how expensive Australia has gotten:

Australian Supermarket Prices Compared With UK November 8, 2011 by Bob Carr I have been handed a comparison of Australian and UK supermarket prices for foodstuffs.

Set out as well is the exchange rate conversion.

In the last column is the percentage by which the Australian price exceeds the British price.

This explains why everyone is talking about how Australia has become a very expensive place. And I’ve never read a convincing explanation.

Tesco (pounds/kg) - Tesco ($/kg) - Coles ($/kg) - Premium Cherry tomatoes 3.34- 5.43-8.00-47% Cherry tomatoes (vine) 7.50- 12.19- 17.92- 47% New/baby potatoes 1.35- 2.19- 2.49- 13% Baking potatoes 1.12 - 1.82 - 2.49 - 37% Sweet potatoes 1.24 - 2.02 - 3.48 - 73% Carrots 0.56 - 0.91 - 1.98 - 117% Parsnips 1.29 - 2.10 - 9.98 - 376% Butternut pumpkin 0.80 - 1.30 - 4.98 - 283% Zucchini 1.62 - 2.63 - 4.98 - 89% Brown onions 0.87 - 1.41 - 2.28 - 61% Broccoli 1.63 - 2.65 - 2.98 - 12% Bananas 0.58 - 0.94 - 10.98 - 1064% Granny Smith Apples 1.57 - 2.55 - 5.98 - 134% Red seedless grapes 1.98 - 3.22 - 4.38 - 36% Raspberries 8.00 - 13.01 - 55.84 - 329%

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Another problem I have with Oz is that everything closes so bloody early! We got to a town called Lorne around 6.30pm, supposed to be the main place on the Great Ocean Road and the receptionist at our overpriced cottage said we better eat fast, most restaurant kitchens closed at 7pm! How tourist friendly is that? Ate meat pies from the gas station! Even the UK can manage better than that - and has some kind of Sunday shopping these days...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I have kept away due to sharks and flies. Beaches do look pretty though.

Big jump in Chinese visitors. Do they go to the beach or just go shopping? Am curious about that.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

The Chinese have the mega bucks & they like packaged tours, shopping, fancy dining- sharks are a worry though - cos they'll all end up in soup. If you want people who are going to spend and are not too fussed about culture (I hear there is some in Australia), they're easy money. And since they don't get good service at home, nothing in Oz will shock them. Not even the prices- can't believe how expensive Australia is. I find it much easier to get value for money in Japan & am a regular traveller to both countries.

But the Chinese are not going to be much use to the adventure, eco-tourism, outback kind of market... only the cities- it's a very immature market right now. Think 1980s outbound Japanese market...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Elbuda at 10:31 PM - Hee hee!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

As a prould Kiwi I’m genetically and morally bound to say that Australia is……yeah –c’mon down a few hours south of Sydney to New Zealand and you’ll be in a country that’ll set you right.

Quantas HQ did the right thing this week by offering all 100,000 slacked off passengers free return flights to New Zealand (or inbound Oz). That’s because even Quantas top management knows that deep down, when Australians and most other travelers are Down Under, they’d much rather head to New Zealand for a coldie and some real customer service than to sky-high-priced Australia.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I was surprised at how inviting Mexico was to Aussies when I visited in 2005 and 2006. Droves were flying there. I agree with Johannes, to fly over 14 hours, you really need to spend at least 2 weeks somewhere and few people have the time to take from work or the money to subsist for >2 weeks. I love to travel, but my wings have been clipped since the economy tanked. I was able to return to Japan in 2007 for a week, but haven't been able to go back. I love both countries. Fortunately, my friends in Japan are far kinder at putting me up part-time than my friends in AU, so travel is much easier and less costly.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Overpriced, overrated, bad service, not to mention by high violent crime rates.

http://www.anzen.mofa.go.jp/manual/sydney.html

http://www.melbourne.au.emb-japan.go.jp/anzen/h19/anzen1901.html

1 ( +3 / -2 )

pointofview

I agree with you 100 percent. We do the exact same thing. In fact, at the beginning of December we're going to an on an onsen resort in the mountains that has kid-oriented activities.

We've learned that it's the best way for everyone to relax. Traveling abroad, at least now, is too much hassle for the amount of money you pay. You get back more stressed than when you left, and much, much poorer to boot (with a couple of kids in tow).

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I definitely feel safer in Japan than Aus. The service is better in Japan compared to Aus... but to condemn Australia for it's lack of customer service? Go to America. Go Shopping and say thank you. I bet you will get a "mm hmm" not "have a nice day" or "you're welcome" :P

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Australia for too long took too literally the "we're a beautiful country abounding in nature" attitude. Of course in that part of the world they only had New zealand to compare to, and most New Zealanders preferred Australia over NZ, cause that why there is so many who moved. NZ is choking on the natural high. Australia needs to think more about developing itself internally, and quit worrying about the tourists. Theyll come if they want to, the service or pricing wont play much part in affecting that. And certainly whether you wear thongs or not has no baring on the tourism industry. In fact I hear most locals are offended by the dress code going on. So your universe is definitely not the same as mine. I think the opposite to slob might be snob. So can we say l comes first and wins.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I agree with you Johannes! I also think the exchange rates in 2010-2011 have not helped Australian in the least.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

People are losing their jobs left right and centre, inflation is whack, global tension, airlines are charging countless fees, taxes, service problems and on and on...Of course tourism is down. dont need to be a rocket scientist to figure that out. Just hanging out with my wife and child and taking off to a place a few hours away in Japan for a few days and relaxing with some good food is all Im interested in at the moment. Can`t be bothered with all the airport nonsense too, security, waiting etc. I think people are just becoming fed up.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Why should there be growth in in-bound tourists when all other (probably more attractive) destinations are declining resulting from global slump ? Soaring Currency forex rate, Qantas strikes & koala (lazy, it's true to some extent, nothing personal ) paced people.. More or less equidistance from north Asia, it makes more sense to go to the US given more value for the penny spent.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

ELBUDA.. since you are a Mexican and your native language is Spanish... i can tell you that it will be difficult for non-native English speakers to be able to understand people from Australia... since you are used to listening to Americans speak English... and if you speak English with a Mexican accent.. then it will be hard for Australians to understand you... i find Mexican Spanish the easiest to understand and Panamanian and Domincan Spanish the most difficult to understand... and i'm sure you can see this from my Hispanic last name... :D

0 ( +1 / -1 )

We really loved our trip to Australia. The children were made very welcome, and the zoos, aquariums, and activities like swimming with dolphins were perfect and well organised. Hotels are cheaper than Japan, and much nicer. People are laid back and relaxed, and you dont have to be scared of blowing your nose or offending someone by accident. That said, I dont think political correctness got to Australia, which may be a good thing. Its not racism, more "tell it like you see it", which isnt bad, just takes a bit of getting used to.My Japanese husband did have a problem with the accent at times, but it just takes a bit of getting used to according to him.

The food is a little dearer than the very cheapest places to eat out in Japan. Then again, Ild rather starve than go to gusto for a 500 yen lunch, let alone some nasty beef bowl or radioactive onigiri.

In fact we love it there so much we are trying to emigrate. Much nicer and friendlier than Japan, not dreary and depressing like the UK, and not full of guns like the US.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

"Australian tourism industry 'in crisis'"

That's a fairly credible headline. More so than some economic headlines I have read such as "stock index plunges by 1.2%."

That's not a plunge. It's a burp.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Jack1987

Wow! Spidapig24, I think your being a bit harsh on Japan! After all if you take away Australian beaches, Sydney harbour and the kangaroo you could say the same about Australia.

Ok maybe l was a tiny bit harsh. But lm gonna have to disagree there is much more to see in Australia than beaches, Sydney harbor and kangaroos. Having been around Australia and now having been around a fair bit of Japan the two dont even compare. You are forgetting things like Uluru, Barrier reef, Tasmania, Blue mountains, decent zoo's and aquariums, scenery etc. the list goes on and on. And unlike Japan, Australia aims these things at tourists.

Also, your comment 'Not even mentioning the fact that if you dont speak Japanese good luck.', The Australian Tourism Commision (ATC) has not caught on yet that if it really wants to improve Tourism then Australian will need to start learning Chinese and other Asian languages. Not just speaking English! Asia is close, it's logical!

Jack, go to an Australian tourist location most if not all offer information in a variety of languages, in Japan only major tourist places offer anything in English and then not even all the major ones do.

Japan has a train network, this is something Australia lacks. I've travelled from Syd to Mel by train it takes 12 hours, at least Japan has a workable network!

Yeah l agree but l can fly from Melbourne to Sydney cheaper than l can catch a train (or plane) from Nagoya to Tokyo. The price of travel inside Japan is ridiculous.

I agree with grammefriday, Australia is overpriced and overrated (and I'm Australian), but my opinion doesnt matter, what matters are the opinions of overseas visitors.

Thats your choice, but overpriced, come on get real. You want overpriced Tokyo, Sapporo, Nagoya, Osaka try any of them for decent accomodation then look at the likes of Sydney, Melbourne. The prices are much less for better.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Jannetto,

I to am Australian and have travelled extensively in Asia, Europe and Australia and l completely disagree with some aspects of your post. In terms of travel once you at your destination l find Australia much cheaper than say Japan, and some part of Europe. And value for money wise l have found it cheaper to get decent accommodation in Sydney than Tokyo, London, or many other destinations. But l guess it is what you are looking at determines the price and your opinion

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

FoxieNOV. 10, 2011 - 07:46PM JST But what was even more shocking was that when I entered a restaurant on the beach they didn't allow me in because I was wearing flipflops. Sorry to say this but I will never go to Australia again.

I'm sorry... you wore flip flops to a restaurant?!? In what universe would dressing like a slob and a restaurant go together? Just because it looks like a giant beach doesn't mean that there's no dress standard. People tend to take pride in their establishments and like to have a certain type of customer (one that doesn't dress bad). Perhaps a beach side fish and chip shop would have been a better option.. or McDonald's? ;)

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Jannetto,

Maybe you could have actually looked around as Lorne has a great pub and bistro that serves bistro meals until midnight, and it's a whole 400 meters from the petrol station in town. You obviously didn't look to hard. Seem quick to run a place down but obviously didn't try too hard now who's faults that?

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

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