AUSTRALIA | In a bounce back to pre-pandemic levels, the Australian economy is flush with international visitors, longer stays and higher spend.
There is more good news for Australian tourism businesses and the hundreds of thousands of people it employs, as new data released showed international tourism has climbed back to pre-pandemic levels, with more international visitors returning to its shores, staying for longer and spending more.
In the March quarter of 2024, international visitors stayed for a total of 87.5 million nights, 105 percent of pre-pandemic levels. International visitor spend reached 99 percent of pre-pandemic levels, injecting AUD $10.2 billion into the local economy. International trip numbers reached 89 percent of pre-pandemic levels, up from 81 percent in the previous quarter.
New Zealand, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, and India are currently Australia’s top five international tourism markets, and the tourism sector has worked hard to encourage more and more visitors from right around the world to book a holiday to come and see Australia.
Domestic tourism remained stable in the March 2024 quarter, as more Australians have continued to explore their own backyard, supporting local businesses and the economy.
As part of the Australian Government’s Southeast Asia Strategy to 2040, it has committed to increasing engagement with Southeast Asia and attracting more high-value Southeast Asian travellers.
To help Australian businesses grasp the opportunities available in these markets, for the first time this data set has provided separate insights into Vietnam, as its fastest-growing international market. These insights show that visitors from Vietnam to Australia are more than 50 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels, and highlight the exciting growth opportunity for Australian businesses.
Tourism is an important part of our economy, supporting hundreds of thousands of businesses and jobs across Australia, a figure which is only expected to grow with the World Travel and Tourism Council predicting that travel and tourism will contribute more to Australia's economy in 2024 than any previous year on record.
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