As part of some work I am doing I am trying to find out measure of the
importance of Birding as a recreational activity in the Australian economy.
Frank Gill's Ornithology text cites total spending by birdwatchers (on
birdwatching) in the US economy in 1990 at $20 billion (on equipment,
travel etc). He claims there are more than 61 million Americans who watch
birds of whom 300,000 are serious in the sense that they can recognise more
than 100 species.
The only vaguely comparable indicator I have seen for Australia is the
claim (which I read somewhere but now can't recall the source) that 2
million birding fieldguides have been sold. (If someone saw this and can
recall the source can you remind me of it?) Numerical membership of the
Bird Observers Club (4,000 family memberships) and Birds Australia is
public information and presumably gives a lower bound measure on aggregate
interest in recreational birding and ornithology.
I assume there is no information available on birder expenditures on
equipment or travelling but -- if I am wrong -- it would be nice to know.
Any advice greatly appreciated. Even if specific data is not available I am
very open to suggestions as to how one might get a feel for the situation
using indirect indicators.
Harry Clarke.
Harry Clarke
School of Business
Faculty of Law and Management
Room 433, Donald Whitehead Building
La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3083. Australia.
Phone: 03-9479-1732
Fax: 03-9479-1654
E-mail
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