1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2009–10  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 04/06/2010   
   Page tools: Print Print Page  
Contents >> Tourism >> International visitor arrivals

INTERNATIONAL VISITOR ARRIVALS

There were 6 million short-term international visitor arrivals in 2008, compared with 4 million such arrivals in 1998 (graph 23.5).

External events such as terrorism and the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome scare coincided with the decrease in arrivals between 2001 and 2003.

23.5 Short-term Movements(a), International visitor arrivals
Graph: 23.5 Short-term Movements(a), International visitor arrivals


Major source countries for short-term international visitor arrivals to Australia during 2008 were New Zealand (1,113,400 visitor arrivals), the United Kingdom, Channel Islands & Isle of Man (672,200), Japan (457,300) and the United States of America (454,500) (table 23.6).

Between 2007 and 2008 the number of short-term international visitor arrivals from Japan fell by 115,600, while visitor arrivals from Korea fell by 34,900, New Zealand arrivals fell by 24,600, and visitor arrivals from the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man fell by 16,900. Visitor arrivals from Malaysia rose by 11,600, from Germany by 9,200 and from Singapore by 7,000.

23.6 SHORT-TERM INTERNATIONAL VISITOR ARRIVALS, By major source countries

2004
2005
2006
2007
2008

New Zealand
1 032.8
1 098.8
1 075.7
1 138.0
1 113.4
United Kingdom, Channel Islands & Isle of Man
676.2
708.7
734.2
688.9
672.0
Japan
710.3
685.2
650.9
572.9
457.3
United States of America
433.5
446.2
456.0
459.7
454.5
China (excl. SARs and Taiwan Province)
251.2
285.0
308.5
357.4
356.5
Singapore
251.1
265.9
253.3
263.8
270.8
Korea, Republic of (South)
211.8
250.5
260.9
253.2
218.3
Malaysia
166.9
166.0
150.3
159.5
171.1
Germany
140.5
146.6
148.3
151.5
160.7
Hong Kong (SAR of China)
137.2
159.5
154.6
146.9
143.9

Source: ABS Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia (3401.0).


In 2008 people whose main purpose for their trip was a holiday accounted for the highest share (48%) and employment accounted for the lowest share (3%) of short-term international visitor arrivals to Australia (graph 23.7).

23.7 International Visitor Arrivals, By main purpose of trip - 2008
Graph: 23.7 International Visitor Arrivals, By main purpose of trip—2008


December recorded the highest number of visitor arrivals (11% of total arrivals) in 2008, while May and June recorded the lowest (7%) (graph 23.8).

23.8 International visitor arrivals, By month of visit - 2008
Graph: 23.8 International visitor arrivals, By month of visit—2008

International visitor nights refers to the number of nights all international visitors aged 15 years and over spent in Australia. In 2008, international visitors in Australia spent the most nights in New South Wales (58 million or 35%), followed by Queensland (41 million or 24%) and Victoria (34 million or 20%) (graph 23.9).

23.9 Short-term International Visitor Nights(a)(b) - 2008
Graph: 23.9 Short-term International Visitor Nights(a)(b)—2008


Of all international visitors in 2008, nights spent in Australia by those who travelled for holiday purposes accounted for 35% of short-term international visitor nights; 32% were for educational purposes; 17% of nights were to visit friends and relatives; and 6% were for business purposes (graph 23.10).

23.10 Short-term international visitor nights(a)(b), By main purpose of trip - 2008
Graph: 23.10 Short-term international visitor nights(a)(b), ^By main purpose of trip—2008







Previous PageNext Page