Tourism getting back on track as spending exceeds pre-Covid levels
International tourists are breaking spending records across Australia, with visitors staying longer than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Soaring temperatures in Queensland on Monday gave way to a cooler front on Tuesday. (File image)
International tourists spent $30.9 billion in Australia in the year to March 2024, slightly above pre-pandemic spending levels, according to data from Tourism Research Australia.
Half the states and territories across Australia exceeded 2019 spending levels.
South Australia recorded the greatest improvement, with spending at 120 per cent of pre-COVID levels, followed by Western Australia (111 per cent), NSW (105 per cent) and Queensland (102 per cent).
International travellers stayed longer and spent more per trip in the year to March 2024 than they did pre-COVID.
Trips to Australia were up to 84 per cent of 2019 levels, average spend per trip increased by 25 per cent, and nights away exceeded pre-pandemic levels, with an average stay of 37 nights.
Acting Western Australian tourism minister John Carey said the state was tracking ahead of target growth in visitor spending at $17.9 billion across international and domestic tourists.
“These outstanding results show WA’s global reputation as a destination with incredible tourism and hospitality experiences is attracting travellers from around the world,” he said.
Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast recorded the highest total overnight spending rates ever at $3.2 billion and $371.1 million respectively.
Tourism and Events Queensland chief executive Patricia O’Callaghan said the state’s tourism industry continued to work to be the dominant holiday destination for international and domestic travellers.
“Since COVID-19 it’s been a rollercoaster for Queensland’s tourism sector as we went from the challenges brought by travel restrictions to the incredible highs of a domestic tourism boom,” she said.
“We’re now entering a new period of normalisation that holds some promising signs in the face of strong headwinds that we know have been building over some time.”
NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and the ACT had more visitors spending more money compared to the last quarter of 2023 but had not caught up to pre-pandemic levels.
Domestic tourism remained stable in the first quarter of 2024, with spending on par with the same period in 2023.
Australians took 28.8 million domestic trips, spending $27.4 billion during the quarter.
Spending was up six per cent for travellers to capital cities but down four per cent when it came to those heading to regional areas.
