The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is located in south eastern Australia between Sydney and Melbourne and, as the name suggests, is home to Australia’s capital city, Canberra.
The ACT is home to a wealth of uniquely Australian history, politics, shopping and leisure, as well as stunning natural attractions, bringing over 2.6 million domestic visitors and 207,850 international guests to the region each year, with the past year delivering more domestic visitors than ever before.
Guests visiting the capital city, Canberra, typically have a number of attractions to tick off their list, with the Australian War Memorial, National Portrait Gallery, Australian Parliament House and Old Parliament House, Royal Australian Mint, National Library of Australia, National Museum of Australia and the Australian National Botanic Gardens all open to the public. For families travelling with children, attractions such as miniature house village Cockington Green, the Questacon science museum, the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve and the National Zoo and Aquarium are all popular choices.
Canberra is a planned city, and was designed within a specific area by Walter Burley Griffin. Because Canberra has been so well planned and thought out, the ACT enjoys distinct protected areas and nature reserves, allowing visitors to enjoy its natural waterfalls, snowy mountains, and the outdoor activities on offer. Visitors enjoy activities such as hiking, cycling, bird watching and even camping and fishing in permitted areas.
The region also draws guests with popular festivals and events, with the flower festival Floriade being amongst the most well-known. Fashfest, regular live music gigs and commemorative events also bring large numbers of guests to the area.
The ACT is home to 1,387 accommodation options and food services which cater to the broad range of domestic and international business visitors and holidaymakers that travel to the region each year, employing 5.8 percent of the ACT’s 390,706 residents. Accommodation options include hotels, motels, backpacker hostels and holiday parks, as well as a range of self-contained options such as serviced apartments and rental properties. Being an educational hub, the region welcomes thousands of students each year and, as such, also has a range of accommodation suitable to school and tour groups.