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Arts tourists on the rise

Arts tourists on the rise

By David Schout

International visitors are prioritising Southbank’s art precinct as a key part of their tourist itinerary, research indicates.

In the last five years, the percentage of “arts tourists” (those who took part in at least one cultural activity) that visited Melbourne rose 73 per cent according to a new report from the Australia Council for the Arts.

The figure is higher than the overall tourist rise of 64 per cent. Given that Southbank is home to Melbourne’s Art Precinct, it’s great news for the thriving area.

Visitors from China (22 per cent) were the best-represented art tourists in the state, followed by the UK (10 per cent), US (9 per cent) and New Zealand (8 per cent).

Nation-wide, arts activities proved more popular with tourists than wildlife activities, theme parks, wineries and sporting events.

International tourists who engaged with the arts also tended to stay in Australia longer than those who didn’t.

Mark Lambert, a UK tourist who visited several theatres and galleries while visiting Melbourne in November, said he had been aware of the city’s cultural offerings.

“I’d heard that Melbourne had a thriving arts scene before I arrived, so it was good to explore this in person and see what the city has to offer,” he said.

The 25-year-old said a particular highlight was the National Gallery of Victoria.

“There was a huge variety of pieces on offer there, from contemporary art pieces and displays to indigenous art. I really enjoyed seeing pieces of indigenous art, as I studied this while living in the Netherlands so it was nice to put this in context,” he said.

Mr Lambert travelled with a friend also from the UK, and admitted that while they fit as many cultural outings as possible during their stay, they would love to return.

“We only scratched the surface so would love to come back and see everything else the city has to offer.”

Australia Council executive director for strategic development and advocacy Dr Wendy Were said the research underlined the importance of the arts in enhancing the tourist experience.

“The arts provide an important point of connection,” Dr Were said.

“(They are) a highly influential and powerful tool for building national identity and for sharing Australian culture, stories and perspectives with the world. The research highlights the growing potential for the arts to drive and support tourism activity, and for our artists to increase their engagement with the international tourist market.”

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