International Markets

Investigate several real-life desert 4WD itineraries of international travel parties.  Find out who they are, where they come from and why they came to Australia.  Then follow our visitors as they explore the deserts of Australia.  Learn about the types of accommodation and activities selected along the journey and see what the On Track research has uncovered on the economic potential of the international market.

The System in Action

This interactive tour along the Red Centre Way in Central Australia highlights that a positive future for desert 4WD tourism will require integration between consumer aspirations and commercial opportunities.  It demonstrates the need for a system-wide approach to the development of the sector as well as the interconnectedness between desert landscapes, traveller aspirations on trips, and the difficulties and opportunities facing desert communities and their peoples in realising meaningful benefits.  Along the tour you can ‘fire out’ to snippets of a research report which discusses and evaluates these issues.

Desert Tracks

View a number of Australia’s famous desert tracks in Google Earth or Google Maps.  Desert tracks are the focus of trips for many 4WD enthusiasts.  Most are steeped in a rich social and cultural history, commencing and ending at historical towns or service centres.  However, there is generally limited commercial activity along the tracks and opportunities for economic benefits for local communities may depend on them engaging in non-tourism services as well as offering activities and experiences which add to the overall experience for 4WD travellers of ‘doing the track’.