1367.2 - State and Regional Indicators, Victoria, Jun 2010  
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Contents >> Spotlight On: >> Short term overseas visitor arrivals, Victoria 2009

SHORT TERM OVERSEAS VISITOR ARRIVALS, VICTORIA 2009

For the year ended December 2009, there were 5.58 million short-term overseas visitor arrivals to Australia. Of these arrivals, 19.8% nominated Victoria as their intended state of stay while in Australia. This article focuses on the short-term visitor arrivals to Australia where Victoria was recorded as the visitor's intended state of stay on the incoming passenger card. Short-term visitor arrivals have an intended duration of stay in Australia of less than one year. It is noted that overseas arrivals and departures statistics relate to the number of movements of travellers rather than the number of travellers. For more information see the publication Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia, Dec 2009 (cat. no. 3401.0) Explanatory Notes.

For the year ended December 2009, 1.11 million short-term visitors arrived in Australia with an intention to stay in Victoria. This was slightly higher than the recorded number of visitors who intended to stay in Victoria for the year ended December 2008 (1.05 million). Ten years ago (1999), there were 4.46 million short-term visitor arrivals to Australia, and 657,400 (14.7%) of those visitors intended to stay in Victoria. The proportion of short-term visitor arrivals nominating Victoria as their intended state of stay has increased by 5.1 percentage points between 1999 and 2009.

Short-term visitor arrivals who intended to stay in Victoria: Original
Graph: Short-term visitor arrivals who intended to stay in Victoria: Original


The following table shows, for selected years, the top ten countries of residence (based on 2009) for short-term visitor arrivals who nominated Victoria as their intended state of stay while in Australia. For each of the periods, New Zealand was the largest contributor (20.4% in 2009). United Kingdom, Channel Islands & Isle of Man was the second highest contributor for each of the periods (10.2% in 2009). Of the top ten countries of residence for short-term visitor arrivals who intended to stay in Victoria, India recorded the strongest growth in arrivals over the period, increasing from 1.2% in 1999 to 4.1% in 2009.

1.1 Short-term visitor arrivals who intended to stay in Victoria: Calendar years

1999
2004
2009
Country of residence(a)
'000
%
'000
%
'000
%

New Zealand
124.6
18.9
203.3
22.4
225.8
20.4
UK, CIs & IOM(b)
74.2
11.3
107.5
11.9
113.5
10.2
China (excludes SARs and Taiwan Province)
21.1
3.2
74.5
8.2
107.9
9.7
United States of America
71.3
10.8
78.3
8.6
86.6
7.8
Malaysia
28.1
4.3
45.8
5.1
70.7
6.4
Singapore
50.7
7.7
57.0
6.3
67.0
6.0
India
7.6
1.2
15.9
1.8
45.9
4.1
Hong Kong (SAR of China)
20.8
3.2
29.0
3.2
34.0
3.1
Indonesia
20.9
3.2
23.0
2.5
31.1
2.8
Japan
48.0
7.3
51.6
5.7
30.7
2.8
All other countries
190.1
28.9
220.1
24.3
294.9
26.6
Total
657.4
100.0
905.8
100.0
1 108.0
100.0

(a) Top 10 source countries based on original estimates.
(b) United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man.


In 1999 the peak age group for all short-term visitors who arrived in Australia and intended to stay in Victoria was 25-29 years (11.4%). In 2009, both the 20-24 and 25-29 year age groups recorded the highest proportion (11.2% each).

The proportion of people travelling to Australia and intending to stay in Victoria is increasing among older age groups. The proportion arriving and intending to stay in Victoria in the 50-69 year age group increased from 24.8% in 1999 to 27.9% in 2009. Conversely, the proportion of people in the 25-49 year age group decreased from 50.6% in 1999 to 45.2% in 2009. The median age of all short-term visitor arrivals who intended to stay in Victoria was 39 years in 2009.

1.2 Short-term visitor arrivals who intended to stay in Victoria: Calendar years

1999
2004
2009
Age group (years)
'000
%
'000
%
'000
%

0-4
11.1
1.7
16.2
1.8
23.3
2.1
5-9
10.2
1.6
17.6
1.9
20.8
1.9
10-14
16.0
2.4
24.8
2.7
25.4
2.3
15-19
38.5
5.9
50.0
5.5
61.7
5.6
20-24
57.6
8.8
84.6
9.3
123.6
11.2
25-29
74.8
11.4
88.2
9.7
124.6
11.2
30-34
68.5
10.4
92.0
10.2
99.0
8.9
35-39
65.4
10.0
85.8
9.5
91.4
8.2
40-44
62.7
9.5
87.9
9.7
88.7
8.0
45-49
61.0
9.3
86.4
9.5
97.0
8.7
50-54
58.7
8.9
82.5
9.1
99.6
9.0
55-59
45.7
7.0
73.9
8.2
88.5
8.0
60-64
33.1
5.0
47.9
5.3
72.7
6.6
65-69
25.5
3.9
33.3
3.7
47.9
4.3
70-74
16.1
2.4
20.0
2.2
25.3
2.3
75 and over
12.4
1.9
14.6
1.6
18.6
1.7
Total
657.4
100.0
905.8
100.0
1 108.0
100.0



For male short-term overseas visitors arriving who intended to stay in Victoria, the peak age group moved from 35-39 years in 1999 (11.7%) to the younger 25-29 year age group in 2009 (10.7%). For females, the peak age group moved from 25-29 years in 1999 (12.4%) to the younger 20-24 year age group in 2009 (12.2%). The median age of male visitors decreased from 39.7 years in 1999 to 39.6 years in 2009. Conversely, the median age of female visitors who intended to stay in Victoria increased from 37.8 years in 1999 to 38.3 years in 2009.

Short-term visitor arrivals who intended to stay in Victoria, Age and sex
Graph: Short-term visitor arrivals who intended to stay in Victoria, Age and sex


Between 1999 and 2009, the total annual number of male short-term visitors intending to stay in Victoria was higher than the total annual number of female short-term visitors. The short-term visitor arrival sex ratio (the number of male arrivals who intended to stay in Victoria per 100 female arrivals who intended to stay in Victoria) was 118 males in 1999 compared with 102 males in 2009. The highest sex ratio was recorded in the 35-39 year age group in 1999 (175 males). In 2009, both the 35-39 and 40-44 year age groups had the same highest sex ratio of 141 males.

For intended visitors to Victoria the lowest sex ratios were in the 75 years and over age group (68 males in 1999 and 78 males in 2009). The 20-24 year age group had the second lowest sex ratios (80 males in 1999 and 84 males in 2009). The following graph illustrates the sex ratios at each age group for short-term visitor arrivals to Australia who intended to stay in Victoria.

Short-term visitor arrivals who intended to stay in Victoria, Sex ratios at age
Graph: Short-term visitor arrivals who intended to stay in Victoria, Sex ratios at age


For the year ended December 2009, short-term visitor arrivals who intended to stay in Victoria, stated the main reason for journey as holiday (37.9%), visiting friends and relatives (28.3%) and business (12.8%). In comparison, for the year ended December 1999, the main reasons for journey were holiday (41.9%), visiting friends and relatives (26.5%) and business (15.3%). The median duration of stay for all short-term visitor arrivals who intended to stay in Victoria, was 11 days in both 1999 and 2009.

Short-term visitor arrivals who intended to stay in Victoria, Reason for journey
Graph: Short-term visitor arrivals who intended to stay in Victoria, Reason for journey



Statistical Notes

The above presentation of movements in estimates does not take into account whether the change in movement is statistically significant. Care should be taken when interpreting the impact of numeric and/or percentage change. For more information, refer to Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia, Dec 2009 (cat. no. 3401.0) Explanatory Notes - Standard Errors.

All analysis, graphs and tables in the above article are based on Original Series estimates.







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