Bird and Nature Tourism in Australia

Nature-based and bird-focused tourism continues to attract interest from domestic and international tourists and while it is still relatively small compared to some other jurisdictions, it is a fast-growing niche tourism market in Australia (Steven et al. 2015a, b). A small proportion of tourists are specifically focused on the avifauna of their travel destinations. However, avitourists are not a homogenous group (Steven et al. 2021). Many domestic and international tourists incorporating birdwatching into an itinerary that includes other general nature-based activities and cultural experiences. In Australia, this include, but is not limited to: taking tours offering insights into Indigenous Peoples’ culture and history; participating in whale watching or other marine megafauna tours; visiting regions that exhibit exemplary landscape or seascape features (e.g. geomorphological sites of interest, rainforests, coral reefs); or enjoying the high quality of food and wine offerings in many parts of Australia (Kim et al. 2010; Steven et al. unpublished data [collected at UK Birdfair 2015]). Further)