Australia welcomes more than nine million tourists

Australia welcomed a record 9.02 millioninternational visitors in the year ending March 2018, an increase of 7.7 percent on the last 12 months, according to figures released by the AustralianBureau of Statistics today.

This new record comes as international visitors spent a record $41 billion inAustralia last year.

The world is in love with our beautiful country and all it has to offer. Thespectacular scenery, unique wildlife, and world-leading food and wine areattracting people to our shores like never before. Australia is welcomingrecord numbers of international tourists who are staying longer and spendingmore.

China is leading the record breakingsurge, recently overtaking New Zealand to become our largest source ofinternational tourists. China now accounts for one-in-six internationalvisitors to Australia, and more than a quarter of total international visitorspend.

Australia's landmark 'open capacity' aviation arrangement with China, securedby the Turnbull Coalition Government, and the recent China-Australia Year ofTourism is driving growth from this key market.

Australia is also enjoying strong growth from the United States. A record 9.2per cent increase in US visitors during the past 12 months comes on the heelsof Tourism Australia's recent Dundee campaign, aimed at further growing thelucrative North American market.

Through record funding to Tourism Australia and a whole-of-government approachto tourism, the Australian tourism industry is growing three times faster underthe Coalition than it did under Labor.

This is creating new jobs and drivingeconomic growth. In fact, five times as many tourism jobs have been created bythe Coalition Government than under the previous Rudd-Gillard-Rudd LaborGovernment.

Growing tourism is part of the TurnbullCoalition Government's plan for a stronger economy. We are working to attractinvestment in tourism infrastructure, streamline visitor processing and improveaviation access, with a focus on getting tourists out into regional Australia.

Last week's Budget reaffirms our support to boosting this super-growth sectorwith continued record funding for Tourism Australia.