I found it interesting how important cultural tourism has become. We think of the cities as centres of culture,but in fact,the regions have so much to offer.

Australia Council research shows that in the five years before the pandemic,international arts tourism grew at a higher rate than overall international tourism. The international arts tourist is more likely than Australians to venture out to small towns for their museums,galleries,craft workshops,arts festivals,and fairs.

Authentic Indigenous-run activities are a huge drawcard and they're flourishing,seediscoveraboriginalexperiences.com

The Silo Art Trail,which includes painted silos across the country,from Northam in Western Australia to Gunnedah in NSW,is an ingenious example of how the visual arts can draw visitors to remote rural landscapes,even where there's not an established gallery or museum.

There's another tourism trend that might help reverse the fortunes of struggling regional towns,especially those that have escaped any significant development - nostalgia tourism.

While lack of development has often been painted as a negative thing,it can end up a blessing for a town that is trying to attract tourists.

Travellers value old pubs,wide main streets with verandahs,riverside parks with old-fashioned children's playgrounds,B&Bs that aren't Air,and motels that haven't yet been trendified like a Freedom Furniture catalogue. (Shout out to the quirky and inexpensive Junction Motel in New Norfolk,Wotif's number three town.)

Nostalgia tourism is driven by emotion. Older people look for connections to family history and lost memories from childhood. There's also a younger generation passionate about the style of things from a past they've never known,a European past in this case,of old 1960s motels and cute tea rooms.

This generation is crafty - knitting,darning,baking and throwing pots - so they're attracted to CWA shops and craft galleries. Because of their devotion to things that can be recycled,they're big on combing op shops too.

I believe every country town worth visiting has one or two great op shops and an old-fashioned cake shop (not"bakehouse",please) which turns out creamy,jam-filled Neenish tarts,crisp apple turnovers,coffee scrolls,and good,stodgy vanilla slices.

But cake shops,general stores and milk bars are sadly disappearing at the very time visitors search for features that distinguish a place rather than make it generic.

lee@leetulloch.com

Instagram@bymrsamos