Visitor Experience and Expectations Research (VEER)2016-17- Aboriginal Tourism

August 2017

Significant difference testing has been included throughout this report. The green squares /upward

pointing arrows represent a significantly higher score and the red squares/downward pointing arrows

represent a significantly lower score at 95% confidence level. Significant difference testing has been shown between years and 2016-17 total against visitor type

subgroups

Comparison

The survey involved 400 face to face intercept interviews with international and interstate visitors on holiday in WA

for 2 or more nights and Western Australian residents who were currently on a WA short break/holiday or who

had holidayed in WA in the past 6 weeks.

SampleThe research objective was to better understand visitor

experiences in Western Australia. The survey measuredvisitors experiences, expectations and general thoughts of

WA and their holiday. This document reports on findings related to Aboriginal Tourism experiences only.

Objective

BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY

Fieldwork was conducted by Thinkfield in 2016-17 over three waves using a 10 minute survey.

Wave 1: October 3 – October 30, 2016 Wave 2: January 6 – February 8, 2017

Wave 3: April 8 – May 1, 2017

Timeline

Total Intrastate Interstate InternationalKings Park 80 20 21 39

City of Perth 71 15 35 21Perth Visitor Centre 23 1 6 16

Elizabeth Quay 59 15 25 19Fremantle 46 12 15 19Mandurah 37 31 5 1

Other Perth 84 39 19 26TOTAL 400 133 126 141

Sample Structure

TNS Australia Pty Ltd (trading as Kantar TNS) is ISO accredited to 20252:2012 and is compliant with this internal quality standard. This report has been conducted in accordance with ISO 20252:2012 international standards.

3

Aboriginal Experience

Visitor interest in an Aboriginal activity or experience continued to far outweigh participation in the tourism offer in 2016-17. Over the past five years interest has grown 19% while participation has declined 5%. Currently the gap sits at a massive 57% difference between interest and actual participation.

4

Overall Interest and Participation in Aboriginal Tourism– by Year

%

SOURCE: Q12. Which of the following Aboriginal activities or experiences have/did you participate/d in during your holiday in Western Australia?Q13. And which of these experiences or activities would you be interested in, if they were easily accessible in Western Australia?BASE: All respondents, 2016-17 n=400; 2015-16 n=400; 2014-15 n=401; 2013/14 n=400; 2012-13 n=400.

2622 21 24 21

5966

7479 78

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

VEER 2012-13(n=400)

VEER 2013-14(n=400)

VEER 2014-15(n=401)

VEER 2015-16(n=400)

VEER 2016-17(n=400)

Total participation

Total interest

33 44 53 55 57

International visitors had the highest participation rates in Aboriginal tourism, whilst surprisingly intrastate visitors have the greatest interest. Going on a tour with an Aboriginal guide is seen as the most appealing tourism offer but recorded very low participation. Aboriginal galleries and viewing of arts/crafts was the most common activity participated in. Visitors indicated that most activities were free.

5

2016-17 Interest and Participation in Aboriginal Tourism– by Visitor Type

%

SOURCE: Q12. Which of the following Aboriginal activities or experiences have/did you participate/d in during your holiday in Western Australia?Q13. And which of these experiences or activities would you be interested in, if they were easily accessible in Western Australia?BASE: All respondents n=400; Intrastate visitors n=133; Interstate visitors n=126; International visitors n=141.

34

29

31

34

25

25

28

22

21

15

1

1

4

9

2

3

7

2

2

0

Go on tour with an Aboriginal guide

Saw Aboriginal dance, theatre orperformance

Visit an Aboriginal cultural centre

Visit an Aboriginal gallery

Experience Aboriginal interpretation on atour

Saw an Aboriginal site or Aboriginalcommunity

Saw any Aboriginal art, craft or culturaldisplay

Purchase Aboriginal art, craft orsouvenirs

Have some other interaction withAboriginal people

Stay in Aboriginal accommodation

Intrastate Interstate International

85 68 79

11 26 27

Interested

Participated

Interested Participated21

78

Total

2016-17 Participation in Aboriginal Tourism

%Gap

33

28

27

25

23

22

21

20

19

15

33

31

36

33

28

21

29

24

21

17

1

1

5

17

2

2

6

2

3

0

Intrastate visitors have the greatest interest versus participation gaps amongst all visitor types. They are the most interested audience, yet the one which participates in Aboriginal tourism the least.

41

34

30

40

25

31

32

27

20

17

1

0

2

2

2

2

5

2

1

0

Go on tour with an Aboriginal guide

Saw Aboriginal dance, theatre orperformance

Visit an Aboriginal cultural centre

Visit an Aboriginal gallery

Experience Aboriginal interpretation on atour

Saw an Aboriginal site or Aboriginalcommunity

Saw any Aboriginal art, craft or culturaldisplay

Purchase Aboriginal art, craft orsouvenirs

Have some other interaction withAboriginal people

Stay in Aboriginal accommodation

6

34

29

31

34

25

25

28

22

21

15

1

1

4

9

2

3

7

2

2

0

Gap

40

34

28

38

23

29

27

25

19

17

Gap

33

28

27

25

23

22

21

20

19

15

Gap

32

30

31

16

26

19

23

22

18

17

SOURCE: Q12. Which of the following Aboriginal activities or experiences have/did you participate/d in during your holiday in Western Australia?Q13. And which of these experiences or activities would you be interested in, if they were easily accessible in Western Australia?BASE: All respondents n=400; Intrastate visitors n=133; Interstate visitors n=126; International visitors n=141.

2016-17 Interest and Participation – by Visitor Type

%

Interested Participated

In 2016-17 the North West region had the greatest proportion of participation in an Aboriginal experience or activity. Perth and the South West received the lowest levels of participation, likely due to low availability of this tourism offer in the region.

7

21

61

36

33

24

20

Total

North West

Coral Coast

Golden Outback

Perth

South West

2016-17 Participation in Aboriginal Tourism– by Regions visited

SOURCE: Q12. Which of the following Aboriginal activities or experiences have/did you participate/d in during your holiday in Western Australia?Q13. And which of these experiences or activities would you be interested in, if they were easily accessible in Western Australia?BASE: All respondents n=400. Visitors to North West n=18, Coral Coast n=58, Golden Outback n=43, Perth n=298, South West n=133. *Please note small base size for North West.

%

For those visitors who had participated in an Aboriginal activity, the experience continues to be very positive. A significant increase in satisfaction was recorded in 2016-17, with a higher proportion selecting ‘excellent’, ‘very good’ or ‘good’. This was driven by a greater number selecting ‘good’ as oppose to ‘fair’.

8

Overall Aboriginal Experience– by Year

%

SOURCE: Q14. And using this scale, can you please rate overall the Aboriginal activities and experiences you experienced in Western Australia?BASE: All respondents who participated in an Aboriginal activity, 2016-17 n=85; 2015-16 n=95; 2014-15 n=83; 2013-14 n=86; 2012-13 n=102.

8983

90 9195

4640

4953

49

1117

10 95

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

VEER 2012-13(n=400)

VEER 2013-14(n=400)

VEER 2014-15(n=401)

VEER 2015-16(n=400)

VEER 2016-17(n=400)

Nett: Fair/ Poor

Nett: Excellent/ Very Good

Nett: Excellent/Very Good/ Good

International visitors were more likely to describe their Aboriginal experience as ‘excellent’, however Intrastate visitors recorded the highest levels of overall satisfaction.

9

4

7

6

1

3

46

29

58

43

36

57

24

39

13

7

12

16

49

64

36

55

Total (400)

Intrastate (126)

Interstate (133)

International (141)

2016-17 Aboriginal Experience– by Visitor Type

%

SOURCE: Q14. And using this scale, can you please rate overall the Aboriginal activities and experiences you experienced in Western Australia?BASE: All respondents n=85; Intrastate visitors n=14; Interstate visitors n=33; International visitors n=38. *Note small base size

Poor Fair Very good ExcellentGood

Top 2 Box

27

25

21

12

7

Good information / explanation /demonstration

Interesting / unique / unusual

Enjoyed art / culture

Good people

General / other positive aspect

10

SOURCE: Q15. What was the man thing that was poor/fair? What was good/excellent? FIRST RESPONSE ONLYBASE: Respondents who had participated in an Aboriginal activity n=85.

2016-17 Aboriginal Experience– Those who participated

%

Participants of Aboriginal tourism most enjoyed the information provided by their experience or activity, as well as the unique and different offering.

“Informative and educational.”

“Learning things we didn't know about the aboriginal prison on Rottnest.”

“Presentation of the Great Southern Museum in Albany was excellent.”

“It was interesting talking to them.”

“Everything was beautiful, outstanding and unusual.”

“Different culture that we have never seen before.”

“Interesting painting.”

“The colours of the painting.”Mentions 5% of more shown.

27

20

20

14

10

Not available

Not the reason for this trip

No time

Have previous experiences

Not interested

11

SOURCE: Q16. Can I ask why you chose to not participate in Aboriginal activities or experiences? FIRST RESPONSE ONLYBASE: Respondents who had not participated in an Aboriginal activity n=315.

2016-17 Deterrent of Aboriginal Experience– Did not participate

%

Visitors who had not participated in Aboriginal tourism cited the availability of activities and experiences as the key deterrent for participation. Over a quarter (27%) described how they had attempted to participate but were unable to due to sites being closed, not knowing where to find them, or nothing being available where they were visiting. The supply offering therefore does not appear to be matching the increase in demand for this type of tourism.

“Nothing came up when we travelling, one area closed.”

“Tried the cultural centre twice but it was closed when supposed to be open”.

“Don’t know how to get to them”

“Wasn't deliberate just wasn't available.”

“We weren't in areas where there was access to them.”

“We were there for a rest not for sight seeing.”

“Had other things on my agenda.”

“Not here long enough in Western Australia.”

“It was a brief stay.”Mentions 5% of more shown.

12

SOURCE: Q17. Why are you not interested in participating in an Aboriginal activity or experience in Western Australia?Why are you not interested in participating in another Aboriginal activity or experience in Western Australia?BASE: Respondents who were not interested in an Aboriginal activity n=75 and those who were not interested in an Aboriginal activity because they have previously had experience n=15.

2016-17 Deterrent of Aboriginal Experience– Not interested

%

For those who were not interested in participating in an Aboriginal activity or experience, the main reason cited was due to having a previous experience, or a lack of enthusiasm to participate.

Not interested in participating 45%

Have had previous experiences 40%

Did not have the time to participate 11%

1

2

3

2016-17 Deterrent of Aboriginal Experience– Not interested (those who have previously participated)

%

Have had previous experiences

Not interested in participating

1

2

“Doesn’t take my fancy.”

“Don’t enjoy things like this.”

“I’ve done it before, been to Alice Springs, Kununurra and Ayres Rock.”

“We’ve done it all before.”

“Done it elsewhere.”

“Seen it all in the Northern Territory.”

“Only here for four days so no time.”

“Don’t have time.”

Base size too small to report %

Base size too small to report %