Understanding the French consumer
A major tourism research project into how international consumers view Australia and the factors most likely to motivate them to visit the country
has been undertaken by Tourism Australia. The scale and depth of the research is unprecedented and provides unique insights into consumer demand
in 15 of Australia’s most important inbound markets. Insights from the work will contribute towards the industry achieving its Tourism 2020 goal – to
increase annual overnight tourism spending to between A$115bn and A$140bn by the end of the decade.
The research will be used to help shape the future marketing of Australia and identify opportunities to make the country’s tourism offering more
attractive to overseas visitors.
Respondent Profile
Gender
Age
Male
52%
48%
Female
Place of Residence
Under 24 years
8%
25- 34 years
19%
35- 44 years
27%
45- 54 years
20%
55- 64 years
65+ years
18%
Ile-de-France
12%
Rhone-Alpes
7%
Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur
Aquitaine
6%
Nord-pas-de-calais
6%
18%
Languedoc-Roussillon
5%
8.%
Bretagne
5%
Lorraine
5%
Pays-de-la-loire
5%
Midi-Pyrénées
4%
Other regions
Income
Less than 19999 euros
20000 - 29999
30000 - 39999 euros
40000 - 49999 euros
50000 - 59999 euros
60000 - 79999 euros
More than 80000 euros
Prefer not to answer
Living Situation
14%
Partner & children 21%
Partner
21%
16%
10%
7%
5%
7%
34%
Alone
15%
5%
Parents
5%
Other
1%
Housemates
1%
Relatives/ family members
Employment Status
39%
Single parent
1%
25%
Retired
Occupation
63%
Work full time
17%
Work part time
9%
Looking for work
4%
Home duties
4%
Full time student
3%
Other
0%
Professional
Manager
Labourer / trade
Clerical & Admin Worker
Self-employed
Community Worker
Other
Sales Worker
Farmer
32%
11%
9%
7%
4%
4%
2%
1%
0%
Sample size n=848
Most important factors when selecting a holiday destination (Top 5)
Respondents were asked what they look for when choosing any holiday destination.
World class beauty and natural environments
65%
A destination that offers value for money
51%
A safe and secure destination
38%
Rich history and heritage
38%
Friendly and open citizens, local hospitality
33%
Good food, wine, local cuisine and produce
33%
Spectacular coastal scenery
29%
Great swimming beaches
27%
Native or cultural heritage or activities
25%
Interesting attractions to visit
23%
Indigenous experiences
22%
Different and interesting local wildlife
20%
A family friendly destination
18%
Flights with no stop-overs
12%
A range of quality accommodation options
12%
Exciting events, local festivals and celebrations
11%
Clean cities, good road infrastructure
Romantic destination
Ease of obtaining visa
Vibrant city lifestyle
The best in luxury accommodation & facilities
Great shopping/ world class brand names
9%
8%
5%
5%
4%
4%
Read as: 65% of respondents rate ‘world class beauty and natural enviornments’ as among the
top 5 most important factors when choosing a holiday destination.
Understanding the French consumer May 2014
How does Australia Rank?
Respondents were asked to indicate which destinations they associated with the following factors. Each respondent was provided with a list in excess
of 50 international destinations
World class beauty and natural environment
Respondents who have
visited Australia
All respondents
Australia
62%
Respondents who have not
visited Australia
Australia
75%
Australia
60%
Canada
56%
Canada
60%
Canada
56%
Mauritius
48%
Mauritius
60%
Kenya
46%
Kenya
45%
Brazil
54%
Mauritius
46%
Thailand
43%
Central America/
Caribbean
54%
Thailand
43%
Mexico
39%
New Zealand
54%
Vietnam
39%
Vietnam
39%
Argentina
48%
Mexico
38%
Argentina
39%
Hawaii
46%
United States (excl Hawaii)
38%
New Zealand
39%
46%
Argentina
37%
Hawaii
39%
United States
(excludingHawaii)
Thailand
44%
New Zealand
37%
Read as: 75% of those that have previously visited Australia have associated Australia with ‘world class beauty and natural environments’.
Elements of ‘world class beauty and natural environments’
Respondents were asked what are the
most important types ‘world class beauty
and natural environments’.
Respondents were asked what constitutes
‘World class beauty and natural environments’.
Remarkable scenery to soak up and enjoy
47%
Visiting sites of historical, cultural
or religious significance
23%
Engaging with nature first hand, for example
by hiking, bike riding or scuba diving
20%
World Heritage status areas
10%
None of the above
Tropical islands and beaches
23%
Historical / cultural / religious
21%
Natural developed coastal
19%
Wilderness / mountain
18%
Natural remote coastal
11%
Wide open inland / outback
6%
None of the above
2%
1%
Value for money
All respondents
Respondents who have
visited Australia
Respondents who have not
visited Australia
Thailand
23%
Thailand
43%
Thailand
22%
Vietnam
16%
Vietnam
31%
Canada
15%
Canada
14%
20%
Vietnam
15%
Mexico
Mauritius
13%
12%
Mauritius
17%
Mexico
11%
Mauritius
United States
(excluding Hawaii)
India
12%
9%
United States
(excluding Hawaii)
Brazil
8%
Brazil
8%
India
Kenya
8%
18th
Mexico
United States
(excluding Hawaii)
17%
Canada
14%
Australia
14%
7%
India
14%
Argentina
7%
Malaysia
14%
Australia
5%
China
11%
8%
8%
Argentina
7%
China
17th
6%
Australia
5%
Read as: 14% of respondents who have visited Australia previously associated Australia with ‘value for money’.
Elements of ‘value for money’
Respondents were asked what constitutes ‘value for money’
when choosing a holiday destination.
Respondents who indicated Australia was not ‘value for
money’ were asked why not.
The best experiences I can afford
within my budget
31%
Expensive airfares
93%
Low cost of living expenses (food,
accommodation, etc.) in the country or region
22%
High cost of living expenses (food,
accommodation, etc.)
42%
Inexpensive airfares to the country or region
18%
High cost of travelling around
22%
Unique / world’s best experiences that
cannot be had anywhere else
18%
16%
Low cost of travelling around the
country or region
Not the best experiences I can afford
within my budget
9%
1%
Experiences that are not unique and
can be had elsewhere
2%
None of the above
Other
1%
Understanding the French consumer May 2014
Safety and security
Respondents who have
visited Australia
All respondents
Respondents who have not
visited Australia
Canada
63%
Australia
81%
Canada
64%
Australia
56%
Canada
71%
Australia
55%
United States
(excluding Hawaii)
49%
56%
38%
Mauritius
47%
United States
(excluding Hawaii)
New Zealand
49%
New Zealand
United States
(excluding Hawaii)
Japan
36%
Japan
41%
Japan
37%
Mauritius
35%
New Zealand
41%
Mauritius
35%
Hawaii
19%
Hawaii
17%
Thailand
15%
Thailand
16%
Hong Kong
14%
Vietnam
15%
China
14%
China
14%
Hawaii
28%
Hong Kong
22%
Singapore
19%
Thailand
16%
39%
Read as: 81% of those that have previously visited Australia have associated Australia with a ‘safe and secure destination’.
Elements of a ‘safe and secure’ destination
Respondents were asked what constitutes
a ‘safe and secure destination’.
Respondents who indicated Australia was
not ‘safe and secure’ were asked why not.
A low chance of terrorism
50%
A low chance of being robbed or assaulted
26%
A low chance of health risk
12%
A destination whose people have similar
beliefs to mine
4%
Lack of bad reports about the treatment of
fellow travellers
4%
Law enforcement system with integrity that
can be trusted
4%
None of the above
Bad reports about the treatment of
fellow travellers
28%
A high chance of being
robbed or assaulted
19%
A destination whose people have
different beliefs to mine
12%
Law enforcement system without
integrity that cannot be trusted
8%
A high chance of terrorism
6%
Other
( Dangerous wildlife / landscape)
37%
1%
Native or cultural heritage or activities
Respondents who have not
visited Australia
Respondents who have
visited Australia
All respondents
China
48%
India
63%
Mexico
49%
Mexico
48%
Japan
63%
China
48%
India
42%
India
45%
Mexico
58%
Japan
43%
China
58%
Japan
41%
Vietnam
42%
Vietnam
54%
Vietnam
40%
Thailand
41%
Thailand
50%
Thailand
38%
Indonesia/ Bali
32%
Indonesia/ Bali
46%
Brazil
27%
Brazil
31%
New Zealand
46%
Indonesia/ Bali
27%
Nepal
30%
Other Middle East
42%
Nepal
26%
Other Middle East
27%
Australia
38%
Australia
24%
11th
Australia
26%
Read as: 38% of respondents who have visited Australia previously associated Australia with ‘native or cultural heritage and activities’.
Understanding the French consumer May 2014
Good food, wine, local cuisine and produce
Respondents who have
visited Australia
All respondents
Respondents who have not
visited Australia
25%
Australia
39%
Thailand
25%
Argentina
23%
United States
(excluding Hawaii)
39%
Japan
24%
Thailand
23%
Japan
35%
Argentina
23%
Canada
22%
Brazil
30%
Canada
23%
Mexico
20%
Canada
30%
Vietnam
20%
Australia
20%
Mexico
26%
Mexico
19%
China
19%
China
26%
Australia
18%
Vietnam
19%
Argentina
22%
China
18%
Mauritius
17%
New Zealand
22%
Mauritius
Brazil
15%
Thailand
22%
Central America/
Caribbean
Japan
14%
14%
Read as: 39% of those that have previously visited Australia have associated Australia with ‘good food, wine, local cuisine and produce’.
Elements of ‘good, wine, local cuisine and produce’
Respondents were asked what constitutes ‘good food, wine, local
cuisine and produce’ when choosing a holiday destination.
Fresh local produce grown or raised in
pristine natural environments
Respondents were asked what are the most important
types ‘good food, wine, local cuisine and produce’.
38%
Natural fruit and vegetables
25%
A national style of cooking I like
24%
Fresh seafood
23%
Interesting and exciting street-food
15%
A range of multicultural food options
18%
High grade meat and livestock
17%
Renowned cheese and dairy
11%
Award winning wineries
4%
A heritage of food and wine culture
Award winning fine dining restaurants
13%
5%
Vineyards with great food offerings
3%
None of the above
3%
None of the above
2%
How is Australian food and wine currently viewed by French consumers?
Respondents were asked which factors they currently associate with the Australian food and wine offering.
High grade meat and live stock
39%
Spectacular outdoor dining
39%
Fresh local produce grown or raised in
pristine natural environments
30%
Backyard BBQs
28%
Fresh seafood
21%
A heritage of food and culture
18%
Outback Steakhouses
17%
Multicultural food
17%
Fish and chips on the beach
12%
Stunning food and wine trails
10%
Unique culinary experiences
9%
Wineries with great food
8%
Fine dining restaurants
8%
Meat pie with sauce
7%
Food and wine events and local festivals
6%
None of the above
18%
Read as: 39% of respondents associated Australian food and wine with ‘high grade meat and live stock’.
Understanding the French consumer May 2014
Rich history and heritage
Respondents who have
visited Australia
All respondents
Respondents who have not
visited Australia
Mexico
55%
Mexico
64%
Mexico
54%
China
50%
China
58%
China
51%
Japan
44%
India
56%
India
43%
India
43%
Japan
56%
Japan
42%
Thailand
36%
Vietnam
44%
Thailand
34%
Vietnam
34%
Brazil
42%
Vietnam
32%
Other Middle East
28%
Thailand
42%
Other Middle East
24%
Brazil
24%
Other Middle East
39%
23%
United States
(excluding Hawaii)
23%
Australia
36%
United States
(excluding Hawaii)
Nepal
36%
Indonesia/ Bali
22%
Australia
17%
16th
Nepal
23%
Australia
19%
Argentina
17th
22%
Read as: 36% of respondents who have visited Australia previously associated Australia with ‘rich history and heritage’.
Friendly and open citizens, local hospitality
Respondents who have
visited Australia
All respondents
Respondents who have not
visited Australia
Canada
52%
Canada
57%
36%
Australia
48%
Thailand
36%
33%
New Zealand
41%
Vietnam
33%
Mauritius
28%
Mauritius
37%
Mauritius
26%
Australia
25%
Vietnam
33%
India
25%
India
23%
Thailand
30%
Indonesia/ Bali
23%
New Zealand
23%
Japan
26%
Australia
22%
Indonesia/ Bali
22%
Argentina
22%
Argentina
21%
Argentina
22%
Mexico
22%
New Zealand
21%
Brazil
21%
Brazil
18%
Brazil
21%
Canada
55%
Thailand
Vietnam
Read as: 48% of respondents who have visited Australia previously associated Australia with ‘friendly and open citizens and local hospitality’.
Spectacular coastal scenery
Respondents who have
visited Australia
All respondents
Respondents who have not
visited Australia
Mauritius
56%
Australia
71%
Mauritius
53%
Hawaii
49%
Mauritius
61%
Hawaii
48%
Australia
47%
Hawaii
52%
Australia
43%
Brazil
34%
Brazil
48%
Brazil
33%
33%
Central America/
Caribbean
34%
New Zealand
42%
Central America/
Caribbean
Thailand
30%
Thailand
42%
Thailand
28%
New Zealand
29%
South Africa
35%
New Zealand
27%
Mexico
26%
Central America/
Caribbean
32%
Mexico
25%
South Africa
23%
Mexico
29%
Indonesia/ Bali
21%
Indonesia/ Bali
21%
Vietnam
29%
South Africa
19%
Read as: 71% of respondents who have visited Australia previously associated Australia with ‘spectacular coastal scenery’.
Understanding the French consumer May 2014
Exciting events, local festivals and celebrations
All respondents
Thailand
23%
Vietnam
16%
Canada
14%
Mexico
13%
Mauritius
11%
United States (excluding Hawaii)
9%
India
8%
Brazil
8%
Kenya
7%
Argentina
7%
18th Australia
5%
Read as: 5% of all respondents associated
Australia with ‘exciting events, local festivals
and celebrations’.
Elements of ‘exciting events, local festivals and celebrations’
Respondents were asked whether they always time their
holiday and places visited with an event or festival of interest.
Average
Respondents were asked what constitutes ‘exciting
events, local festivals and celebrations’ when choosing
a holiday destination.
-18%
51%
Average
-1%
81%
China
-6%
78%
Indonesia
-10%
72%
India
-9%
67%
South Korea
-8%
66%
Brazil
-10%
63%
Malaysia
-9%
58%
Japan
-16%
49%
Russia
-19%
46%
USA
-20%
40%
Singapore
-16%
37%
Italy
-30%
27%
France
-39%
25%
Germany
-36%
24%
United Kingdom
-40%
23%
New Zealand
Disagree
Music festivals
22%
Local/ regional events
18%
Natural and wildlife events
13%
Cultural celebrations
12%
Family events
12%
Arts and entertainment events
12%
Sporting events
3%
Food and Wine festivals
2%
Religious events
1%
None of the above
4%
Agree
Reads as: 27% of French respondents indicated they always time their holiday
and places visited with an event or festival of interest.
Understanding the French consumer May 2014
Great swimming beaches
Respondents who have
visited Australia
All respondents
Respondents who have not
visited Australia
Mauritius
68%
Mauritius
67%
Mauritius
67%
Hawaii
64%
Hawaii
62%
Hawaii
63%
Brazil
47%
Australia
57%
Brazil
45%
Australia
44%
Brazil
48%
Australia
43%
36%
Thailand
36%
Thailand
48%
Central America/
Caribbean
Central America/
Caribbean
33%
Mexico
24%
Thailand
Mexico
28%
Other South Pacific
19%
Mexico
Indonesia/ Bali
25%
Central America/
Caribbean
14%
Indonesia/ Bali
New Zealand
16%
Fiji
14%
New Zealand
South Africa
15%
Indonesia/ Bali
14%
South Africa
32%
29%
27%
15%
15%
Read as: 57% of respondents who have visited Australia previously associated Australia with ‘great swimming beaches’.
Interesting attractions to visit
All respondents
United States (excluding Hawaii)
56%
Australia
36%
Canada
36%
Japan
27%
Mexico
25%
China
25%
Brazil
24%
Thailand
23%
Kenya
21%
Vietnam
19%
Read as: 36% of all respondents associated Australia
with ‘interesting attractions to visit’.
Elements of ‘interesting attractions’
Respondents were asked what constitutes ‘interesting attractions’ when choosing a holiday destination.
Natural landmarks/ Heritage Sites
38%
Historical landmarks
24%
Theme parks (e.g. Disneyland)
6%
Zoos/ Aquariums/ Wildlife Sanctuary
6%
Restaurants
5%
Spectacular architecture
5%
Museums/ art galleries/ theatres
3%
Amusement/ Themed attractions
3%
Cultural or religious sites
3%
Shopping centres and malls
2%
Casinos/ nightclubs/ bars
None of the above
2%
4%
Understanding the French consumer May 2014
Associations with Australia vs. importance when selecting a holiday destination
Associations with Australia
Strength
Strength
This chart shows the importance of each factor when selecting a holiday destination and the extent to which Australia is associated
with each of these factors. The horizontal axis indicates the importance level, with low importance on the left side of the chart to high
importance on the right. The vertical axis indicates the extent to which Australia is associated with each of these factors, with weak
associations at the bottom to strong associations at the top.
80
70
60
The best in luxury
accommodation and facilities
50
Clean cities / good road
infrastructure
30
20
Great
swimming
beaches
Interesting
attractions
to visit
40
Vibrant city
World class beauty
and natural
environments
Quality
accommodation
Great shopping
Weak
Strengths for Australia
Different and interesting
local wildlife
Indigenous
experiences
Ease of obtaining
visa
10
Good food, wine,
local cuisine and produce
Exciting events
0
22
21
20
Friendly and
open citizens
Native or
cultural
heritage
or activities
Family friendly
Romantic destination
19
18
17
16
Flights with no
stop-overs
15
Low
14
13
Safe
and
secure
Spectacular
coastal
scenery
Rich history and heritage
Value for
money
Opportunities for Australia
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
importance when selecting a holiday destination
5
4
3
2
1
High
The factors placed in the top right quadrant are considered the strengths for Australia as a destination, given the high importance in
destination choice and the strong association with Australia as a holiday destination.
The factors placed in the bottom right quadrant are considered the opportunities for Australia as a destination, given the high importance
in destination choice but ‘currently’ weak association with Australia as a holiday destination.
Strengths for Australia: World class beauty and natural environments, safety and security, great swimming beaches
and spectacular coastal scenery.
Opportunities for Australia: Indigenous experiences, native or cultural heritage or activities, good food, wine, local cuisine
and produce, rich history and heritage, friendly and open citizens, rich history and heritage and value for money.
Aspiration and Intention to visit
Respondents were asked which destinations they would most like to visit in the next four years (aspiration), and which destinations they
are actively planning to visit in the next two years (intention)
Canada
United States
(excluding Hawaii)
Australia
Mauritius
Thailand
Other Africa
1736
United States
1456
5%
Central America,
Caribbean
1326
4%
Other Middle East
580
29%
Canada
10%
29%
United States
(excluding Hawaii)
Mauritius
8%
Thailand
18%
17%
15%
Visitation
000’s of trips in 2012 (TE)
Visitation rankings derived from Tourism Economics
Intention
Which of the following destinations are you actively
planning to visit for a holiday in the next 2 years?
Aspiration
Which of the following destinations are you
considering travelling to in the next 4 years?
Australia
4%
Thailand
576
Vietnam
12%
Central America,
Caribbean
3%
China
525
Brazil
12%
Brazil
3%
Canada
455
New Zealand
Other South America
305
Mauritius
262
India
241
Australia
98
12%
Mexico
3%
Mexico
12%
New Zealand
3%
Japan
10%
Japan
3%
22nd
Key:
•Other Middle East (e.g. Israel, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon)
•Other South America (e.g. Chile, Columbia)
Read as: 18% of French consumers are considering travel to Australia in the next 4 years, with 4% intending to visit. Australia is ranked 22nd
for visitation against other long haul destinations for outbound travel from France.
Note: Hawaii is included in US for visitation figures as cannot be separated.
Charts only display the top 10 destinations across aspiration, intention and visitation.
Understanding the French consumer May 2014
Obstacles preventing consumers from planning a holiday to Australia
Respondents were asked if they had specific obstacles preventing planning a holiday in Australia.
Expensive airfares
69%
High cost of living expenses
27%
Flight is too long
27%
High cost of travelling around
12%
I don’t know anyone who lives there
12%
I don’t know enough about what to do there
9%
Not the best experiences I can afford
8%
I don’t know how to travel in/ around Australia
6%
Experiences are not unique / can be had anywhere
5%
Difficult to obtain visas
2%
Law enforcement system without integrity / trust
2%
Told of a bad experience by someone I know
2%
Bad reports about the treatment of fellow travellers
1%
A high chance of being robbed or assaulted
1%
A high chance of terrorism
1%
A destination whose people have different beliefs
0%
Other
8%
Read as: 69% of respondents indicated ‘expensive airfares’ was a key obstacle for not planning a holiday to Australia.
Understanding the French consumer May 2014
Consumer passions and interest segmentation
Respondents were provided with a list of 52 individual passions points (i.e. hobbies) and asked to indicate which ones were of interest.
Respondents were then asked to indicate which of these passions they would travel overseas to specifically follow or participate in.
After a thorough segmentation each individual passion was grouped into segments of which consumers would travel overseas to follow or participate in.
Nature
60%
Arts and History
41%
Food and Wine
37%
Foreign Culture
32%
Aquatic activities
22%
Photography
21%
Concerts and festivals
20%
Adventure activities
18%
Sport
16%
Shopping
11%
Art Participation
10%
Self Drive
3%
Gambling
2%
Read as: 60% of consumers suggested they would travel overseas to follow or participate in a ‘nature’ based passion or area of interest.
Nature Activities (60%)
Bird watching, campervan-ing, camping, gardening, observing wildlife,
natural wonders, tramping and walking.
Sports (16%)
Cricket, golf, gym / fitness, horse racing, motor racing, netball, rugby,
running, soccer and tennis.
Food and Wine (37%)
Trying new / different foods, cooking / learning to cook
and wine tasting.
Adventure Activities (18%)
Four wheel driving, horse riding, hunting, kayaking, mountain biking, road
cycling and skiing.
Art Appreciation and History (41%)
Admiring architecture / design, art appreciation, museums
and history.
Art Participation (10%)
Drawing / illustration, painting, sculpture / pottery and writing,
dancing and singing.
Aquatic Activities (22%)
Diving, fishing, sailing, snorkelling / scuba diving, surfing / paddle boarding
and swimming.
Single Activity Segments
Experiencing foreign culture (32%) / Shopping (11%) / Photography (21%)
Self Drive (3%) / Gambling (2%).
Concerts and Festivals (20%)
Attending concerts / shows, attending music festivals.
Understanding the French consumer May 2014
About the research
The Consumer Demand Project (CDP) is a major international tourism research project into how global consumers view Australia and what most
motivates them to visit, identifying the ‘triggers’ and experiences important to the consumer when selecting a holiday destination. The research
project was carried out by BDA Marketing Planning, a consultancy who specialise in international demand side strategy development and consumer
research. BDA Marketing Planning was originally employed by Tourism Australia in 2010 to work on a major strategic project which was the forerunner
to the industry’s Tourism 2020 strategy. The aim of this follow-up consumer research project was to help determine the strategic priorities to achieve
the Tourism 2020 goal, by providing a comprehensive assessment of Australia’s current destination appeal and the future tourism potential of key
Australian holiday options. The research was carried out in fifteen of Australia’s key tourism markets: China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia,
New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Brazil, Russia, Italy, France, UK and USA.
Understanding the French consumer May 2014