International Visitors and Spending Up 

International travel to Australia continues to rise, with the latest International Visitor Survey results showing international arrivals for both the quarter and year ending September 2010 are up eight and six per cent respectively.

Visitor spending rose five per cent for the September Quarter 2010 and three per cent for the year ending September 2010.

Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson AM MP and Minister Assisting on Tourism, Senator Nick Sherry welcomed the results, which show increases in international arrivals translating into increased spending and turnover for Australia’s $33 billion tourism industry.

Visitor arrivals in the September Quarter 2010 from China (up 43 per cent), Japan (up 29 per cent) Malaysia (up 28 per cent) and India (up 10 per cent) signal continued dominant growth in Australia’s international tourism market from Asia.

“The September quarter international visitor figures are pleasing. We now have more visitors from Asia than prior to the global financial crisis,” Minister Ferguson said.

“The Australian Government’s investment in the Shanghai World Expo Australia Pavilion is paying off - it attracted a record eight million visitors. That sort of exposure along with the Oprah Winfrey visit continues to place Australia in lights on the international stage.”

Global business sentiment is improving and business travel continues its recovery with visitor numbers up 12 per cent, visitor nights up 16 per cent and expenditure in Australia rising by 27 per cent for the September Quarter.

While Europe and North America remain large markets for Australia, their weak domestic economic conditions have resulted in a decline in visitors from these traditionally strong markets - down four per cent and seven per cent respectively.

“After a tough couple of years during the global financial crisis, it is encouraging to see the $8 billion business travel market returning to growth,” Minister Sherry said.

“The Australian Government funds a number of successful trade and marketing schemes run by Tourism Australia, to assist the business events and conference sector in attracting international conferences and delegates to Australia.”