Martin Ferguson
Minister for Resources and Energy
Minister for Tourism
Senator Nick Sherry
Minister for Small Business
Minsiter Assisting on Deregulation and Public Sector Superannuation
Minister Assisting on Tourism
The September Quarter National Visitor Survey has shown encouraging growth in overnight travel, with overnight trips and nights up three per cent, and expenditure up one per cent.
Improving business sentiment, after the tough conditions caused by the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), has lifted business travel, with September Quarter 2010 rises in overnight trips (11 per cent), the number of nights (21 per cent), and expenditure (27 per cent) on the previous year.
Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson AM MP and Minister Assisting on Tourism, Senator Nick Sherry both welcomed the results which show that strong growth in business travel is helping to stabilise overall domestic visitor nights and spending.
“Domestic tourism accounts for 75 per cent of tourism consumption in Australia, so it is vital to the long-term health of our tourism industry,” Minister Ferguson said.
“The continuing strong growth of business sector travel will help counteract the effects of Australian holidaymakers travelling overseas,” Senator Sherry said.
“It is encouraging to see overnight travel up on the previous year, showing that Australian tourism remains resilient against the challenges posed by the high dollar.”
Domestic tourism expenditure also grew 3.2 per cent in the year ending September 2010 ($1.8 billion in nominal terms), up to $58 billion, when compared to the same period last year.
Minister Ferguson said that he hoped that flagship marketing initiatives like the Oprah visit this month would re-kindle Australians’ love affair with the great Australian holiday.
“We will see an unprecedented level of exposure of Australia’s many attractions, with coverage of the event generating $71 million in equivalent advertising in Australian media and $14 million in US media to date,” Minister Ferguson said.
“While the campaign will generate massive international interest, audience members visited more than 25 places across every State and Territory. The increased exposure of Australia’s tourism experiences will benefit our $33 billion tourism industry by encouraging Australians to get out and see our wealth of attractions for themselves.”
Latest National Visitor Survey results can be accessed at www.ret.gov.au/tra.