THE face of desert travel in some of Australia's most inhospitable terrain is changing, according to researchers.

More and more adventurous caravanners and motorhomers can now be found negotiating their way through deserts as the 4WD tourism market continues to flourish, they said.

"The 4WD tourism market is well established in desert Australia but it certainly hasn't developed to its full potential," Dr Dean Carson of the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre and Charles Darwin University said.

Detailed surveys of 4WD desert travellers had revealed some contradictory characteristics – as well as considerable potential for better services and for developing the full potential of 4WD tourism.

"Your typical 4WD traveller doesn’t want too much help," Dr Carson said.

Travellers, including some caravanners, preferred not to travel on well-signposted and formed roads but took pride in being competent with maps and GPS systems.

Dr Carson said kitting out a 4WD and getting it to the desert required a fair amount of money and 4WD travellers tended to have relatively high incomes and affluent lifestyles.

"So, while they want to rough it for parts of the trip, they also like some luxuries when they do get in touch with civilisation," he said.

"In our interviews and surveys we found a particular desire for better food, better coffee, better accommodation in the towns and communities along the way."

Dr Carson revealed that research had shown there were four main types of 4WD desert travellers, with the largest group being the 'explorer' market whose main focus was to travel a particular track or get to sites they thought were seldom visited by other people.

Their activities were driving, sightseeing, relaxing at the end of the day with a bottle – usually red – and a set of photographs.

The second biggest market was those using 4WDs to get to places where they could pursue particular activities such as fossicking, bird-watching, fishing, caving or bushwalking.

The third market was those wanting to test their vehicle and driving skills.

Finally, there was the market of 4WD drivers who may be in the desert for other reasons, but take the opportunity to do short trips where they use the 4WD capacity of their vehicles.

"Four-wheel-drive travellers don't like to be thought of as mass tourists, so normal tourist promotion is not very effective," Dr Carson said.

"Desert travel is generally seen as a 'once in a lifetime' experience, centred around the famous tracks – the Gunbarrel, the Oodnadatta Track and the Tanami Track," he added.

Dr Carson said the market was changing, and must change to survive.

"Desert travellers are becoming more sophisticated and are increasingly looking for educational experiences as well as for general sightseeing. This may stimulate opportunities for Aboriginal tourism, environmental tourism and desert appreciation, and visits to pastoral properties."

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