The University of Canberra (UC) has launched new research into school excursions in Canberra, which shows teachers visiting the ACT see Canberra as a “pre-eminent school excursion destination in Australia”.
UC’s Dr Naomi Dale said, overall, there has been an increase in the number of visitors to Canberra since data collection began in 1997, with teachers highlighting the ACT’s positive attributes.
“The majority of Canberra’s interstate visitors come from NSW (50.1%), followed by Victoria (18.5%) and then South Australia (12.6%). We are finding quite high regional and rural numbers as well, with 30% of those visitors from these areas,” she said.
“Teachers were highlighting positive links to the curriculum in the areas of civics and citizenship, Australian history and science and technology.
“They were also including art and culture, Indigenous culture and history, and health and sport as strengths for Canberra.”
Dr Dale’s research involved collecting data from Canberra’s national institutions and attractions, as well as through discussions with teachers and coach drivers.
She said the benefits of school excursions might “be more than expected”, particularly for the local economy.
“I think people initially think with children visiting, they are bringing $10 pocket money and that’s the only impact; but financially we are finding the contribution to gross state product is really high because of the accommodation and the programs and obviously the transport,” she said.
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