Australia will change the way it collects its tourism data from next year to take advantage of new technology and in response to an increase in online fraud.
Tourism Research Australia Head Grant Ferres said its National Visitor Survey (NVS) would be replaced with a new Domestic Tourism Statistics (DoTS) collection, with the first results scheduled to be released at the end of June next year.
Mr Ferres said the move was in response to changing consumer behaviour and the availability of new technologies that would deliver more accurate data.
“Since 1998, the NVS has collected data via phone interviews,” he said.
“But with growing scam calls and data breaches, Australians are more hesitant to answer calls from an unknown number and take part in this type of interview.”
He said, at the same time, mobility data offered new possibilities.
“Mobility data is de-identified and aggregated mass movement data collected from mobile phones.”
Mr Ferres said the new DoTS product would use face-to-face surveys, topped up with online interviews and the mobility data, to provide large sample sizes.
“Metrics modelled from DoTs will take advantage of more than 5 billion mobility data points each day and 32,000 annual interviews.
“The new approach is truly world leading and a testament to the skills of the TRA team in Austrade.”
Mr Ferres said by combining survey data with mobility data, the new solution would modernise and future=proof Australian-resident tourism statistics, provide a range of outputs delivered at different levels of geography and improve the quality and timeliness of data delivery.
He said because of the new collection approach, a time series break was likely, with back-casting feasibility testing underway.
Learn more about the changes to the Australian resident tourism statistics collection in 2025.
