Tourism records smashed

Spending by Chinese tourists has reached a new record in Australia- exceeding $10 billion for the first time. The $10.3 billion record is one ofmany broken in the International Visitor Survey (IVS) released today.

The IVS reveals a record $41.2 billion was spent in Australia bymore than eight million international visitors during the record 268 millionnights they stayed during the year ending September 2017.

This strong growth is being led by key Asian markets includingChina, India, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Japan.

During the past 12 months Australia welcomed 1.33 million Chinesevisitors, just shy of our largest arrivals market of New Zealand with 1.35million.

The Turnbull Coalition Government is working to maximise thepotential of China – Australia's fastest growing and most valuable inboundtourism market - to create new Australian jobs.

The 2017 China-Australia Year of Tourism, an open capacityaviation agreement with China and significant visa reform, have contributed tothe 13 per cent growth in spend by Chinese visitors. This will continue to growwith eight new aviation routes between China and Australia planned for the next12 months.

Another market that has seen consistent growth is the UnitedStates, with visitors and spending both growing by 40 percent over the lastthree years.

Youth travellers to Australia are alsogrowing strongly with a 10 per cent increase in spend in the year endingSeptember 2017. Tourism Australia, through their Aussie News Today campaign,will continue to grow this important sector that makes up 46 per cent of allinternational spend.

Spending by international visitors remains strong across thestates and territories with Tasmania seeing a 33 per cent increase and ACT a 27per cent increase in the year ending September 2017.

During the past four years spending by international visitors hasincreased by 46 per cent as the Coalition has delivered record funding toTourism Australia.

The IVS, by Tourism Research Australia, isavailable at: www.tra.gov.au.