Our beaches are the best, say Aussies

Australian families ranked The Whitsundays in Queensland as the best spot for a coastal break. Source: Supplied

IT'S official - Australians may be travelling to Bali, Thailand and Fiji in record numbers, but they have realised our beaches are better.

Six out of ten Australians rate local beach destinations higher than our biggest Asian and South Pacific rivals, a new survey shows.

While young, childless travellers prefer overseas beach holidays, families ranked The Whitsundays in Queensland as the best spot for a coastal break.

Western Australia's north-west coast ranked highest amongst older travellers without children.

With the strong Australian dollar and cheap flights luring a record number of Australians overseas, Tourism Australia's Domestic Consumer Demand Survey tested six of Australia's most iconic beach holiday destinations popular with domestic travellers against Bali, Thailand and Fiji.

The Australian destinations were the Gold Coast, Whitsundays and Tropical North Queensland, the north-west coast of Western Australia, South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island and Tasmania's Freycinet Peninsula, which includes perennial favourite Wineglass Bay.

Tourism Australia managing director Andrew McEvoy said the survey put paid to the myth that Australians had fallen out of love with domestic beach holidays.

''This research confirms our country offers some of the most beautiful, safe and high quality beach holiday experiences in the world,'' he said.

''There's a place, of course, for overseas holidays but it never fails to amaze me that people are prepared to battle queues and immigration to sit on busy beaches, sharing the sea frontage with noisy pubs and heaving night clubs, when Australia has some of the world's most incredible pristine coastline and beaches.''

In addition to those in the survey, Mr McEvoy said there were many more wonderful beaches in Australia, such as Cottesloe in Western Australia, Bondi, Manly and Hyams in NSW, Glenelg in South Australia and Coles Bay in Tasmania.

Queensland Tourism Industry Council chief executive said Australia had some very remote and pristine beaches.

''There's a few international beaches that have a very high profile that wouldn't be a patch on our beaches,'' he said.

The most recent National Visitor Survey figures showed domestic trips grew by four per cent in the year to September.

But Australians also continue to travel overseas in record numbers, with more than eight million international trips in the year to November, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures.

Of more than 1000 high yield Australian travellers surveyed 35 per cent said they would be more likely to take a beach holiday in Australia, compared to 24 per cent more likely to go overseas.

Value for money was the most important factor when choosing a beach holiday, followed by natural beauty, climate, safety and quality of accommodation.

Only 38 per cent of Australians said domestic holidays were more expensive compared to 32 per cent who said overseas vacations were.

The research, conducted by leading marketing research consultancy BDA Marketing Planning, will help Tourism Australia develop better marketing strategies to try to persuade more Australians to holiday at home.

Australians favourite beach holiday destinations
1. Broome/Exmouth, Western Australia
2. Tropical North Queensland
3. Whitsundays, Queensland
4. Gold Coast, Queensland
5. Thailand
6. Fiji
7. Freycinet/Wineglass Bay, Tasmania
8. Fleurieu Peninsula/Kangaroo Island, South Australia
9. Bali, Indonesia

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