Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia

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Statistics on international travel, including tourism trips, arriving in and departing from Australia. Focusing on short-term trips (less than 1 year)

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Reference period
November 2019
Released
16/01/2020
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Release date and time
16/01/2020 11:30am AEDT

Key statistics

  • Overseas visitor arrivals increased 0.1% from the previous month to 797,300.
  • Australian resident returns increased 0.5% from the previous month to 966,000 trips.
  • Overseas visitor arrivals increased 2.5% from the same month previous year.
  • Australian resident returns increased 3.3% from the same month previous year.

Overseas arrivals and departures statistics are international travel movements of persons arriving in, and departing from Australia with a focus on short term trips (less than 1 year). It is the number of international border crossings rather than the number of people.

November 2019 trend estimates for short-term trips:

  • Overseas visitor arrivals to Australia increased 0.1% since the previous month to 797,300 trips.
  • Australian resident returns from overseas increased 0.5% since the previous month to 966,000 trips.
     

1.3 Monthly and annual change

  Nov '19Oct '19 to Nov '19Nov '18 to Nov '19
  '000% change% change
Visitor arrivals — short-term trips   
 Trend797.30.12.5
 Seasonally adjusted793.80.6..
 Original815.9....
Resident returns — short-term trips   
 Trend966.00.53.3
 Seasonally adjusted972.72.8..
 Original849.8....

.. not applicable

Overseas visitor arrivals - short-term trips

Statistics on international travel movements of persons arriving in Australia for short term trips (less than 1 year). It is the number of international border crossings rather than the number of people.

Key statistics

Overseas visitors arriving in Australia for a short-term trip in November 2019 (trend estimates):

  • Increased 0.1% since the previous month to 797,300 trips
  • Increased 2.5% since the same month previous year
  • Reported China as the largest source country, accounting for 15% of all visitor arrivals.
     
  1. For more information see Methodology paragraphs 19-32. For breaks in trend series see Methodology paragraphs 30-31.
     

Source countries (trend estimates)

The three leading source countries for visitor arrivals to Australia in November 2019 were:

  • China (120,200 trips)
  • New Zealand (119,200)
  • USA (67,400).
     
  1. Excludes SARs & Taiwan.
  2. Includes the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man.
     

Among the top ten source countries, the highest annual increases were recorded for:

  • India (16.9%)
  • Singapore (6.6%)
  • Japan (3.3%).
     

The highest annual decreases were recorded for:

  • UK (-1.1%)
  • China (-0.7%)
  • USA (-0.2)
     

2.3 Visitor arrivals - top 10 source countries(a) - monthly and annual change

 TrendSeasonally adjustedOriginalOct '19 to Nov '19Nov '18 to Nov '19
Country of Residence'000'000'000% change - trend% change -trend
China(b)120.2117.1101.4-1.1-0.7
New Zealand119.2119.9120.40.32.2
USA67.466.875.00.3-0.2
UK(c)60.060.968.90.5-1.1
Japan41.841.645.50.23.3
Singapore41.040.648.7-0.66.6
India35.935.837.40.216.9
Malaysia32.832.336.20.10.7
Hong Kong26.626.122.9-0.23.1
Korea, South23.123.526.00.31.9

a. Top 10 source countries based on trend estimates.
b. Excludes SARs & Taiwan.
c. Includes the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man.
 

State or territory of stay (original estimates)

All travellers are asked their intended address in Australia upon arrival. State or territory of stay statistics are only available from original estimates as seasonally adjusted and trend estimates are only applied to source countries.

For those who visited Australia in November 2019, compared to the same month of the previous year, there was:

  • an increase of 12.9% more visitors to Tasmania
  • a decrease of 21.4% fewer visitors to Northern Territory
     

2.4 Visitor arrivals, state or territory of stay - annual change to November 2019 (original estimates)

Map showing each state and territory and the percentage change they have over the past year of visitors arriving from abroad to visit Australia
Map shows growth in visitor arrivals by state or territory in November 2019 compared to the same month of the previous year. Tasmania saw an increase of 12.9%, Queensland saw an increase of 8.1%, Western Australia saw an increase of 6.4%, the Australian Capital Territory saw an increase of 4.4%, and Victoria saw an increase of 2.4%. These were offset by falls in New South Wales (-2.7%), South Australia (-4.7%) and the Northern Territory (-21.4%)

2.5 Visitor arrivals, state or territory of stay(a) - annual change to November 2019 (original estimates)

 Nov '18Nov '19Nov '18 to Nov '19
State or territory of stay'000'000% change - original
NSW306.2298.0-2.7
Vic.215.2220.32.4
Qld153.5166.08.1
SA24.523.3-4.7
WA78.883.96.4
Tas.9.110.312.9
NT5.64.4-21.4
ACT9.19.54.4
Australia(b)802.2815.91.7

a. Only available from original estimates.
b. Includes Other Territories.

Australian resident returns - short-term trips

Statistics on international travel movements of residents arriving back in Australia after short term trips (less than 1 year) overseas. It is the number of international border crossings rather than the number of people.

Key statistics

In November 2019, Australian residents returning from a short-term trip overseas (trend estimates):

  • Increased 0.5% since the previous month to 966,000 trips
  • Increased 3.3% since the same month previous year
  • Reported New Zealand as the most popular destination country, accounting for 13% of all those returning.
     
  1. For more information see Methodology paragraphs 19-32. For breaks in trend series see Methodology paragraphs 30-31.
     

​​​​​​​Destination countries (trend estimates)

The three leading destination countries for Australian residents in November 2019 were:

  • New Zealand (125,700 trips)
  • Indonesia (123,400)
  • USA (85,600).
     
  1. Includes the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man.
  2. Excludes SARs & Taiwan.
     

Among the top ten destination countries, the highest annual increases were recorded for:

  • Japan (24.8%)
  • Indonesia (12.4%)
  • India (7.3%).
     

The highest annual decreases were recorded for:

  • Thailand (-6.6%)
  • USA (-5.9%)
     

3.3 Resident returns - top 10 destination countries(a) - monthly and annual change

Country of stayTrendSeasonally
adjusted		OriginalOct '19 to Nov '19Nov '18 to Nov '19
'000'000'000% change - trend% change -trend
New Zealand125.7124.5119.10.33.3
Indonesia123.4125.0117.30.612.4
USA85.684.679.0-0.8-5.9
UK(b)55.555.636.10.70.6
China(c)51.251.952.51.32.0
Japan49.151.242.62.224.8
Thailand44.243.441.1-0.7-6.6
India37.138.837.30.97.3
Singapore36.337.739.30.85.2
Fiji28.729.430.3-0.21.0

a. Top 10 source countries based on trend estimates.
b. Includes the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man.
c. Excludes SARs & Taiwan.
 

State or territory of residence (original estimates)

All travellers are asked their intended address in Australia upon arrival. State or territory of residence statistics are only available from original estimates as seasonally adjusted and trend estimates are only applied to destination countries.

For those residents who returned to Australia in November 2019, compared to the same month of the previous year, there was:

  • an increase of 11.8% travelling home to Western Australia
  • an increase of 10.8% travelling home to the Australian Capital Territory
     

3.4 Resident returns, state or territory of residence - annual change to November 2019 (original estimates)

Map showing each state and territory and the percentage change they have had over the past year of their respective populations going on trips abroad
Map shows growth in Australian residents who returned to their home state in November 2019, compared to the same month of the previous year. Western Australia saw an increase of 11.8%, the Australian Capital Territory saw an increase of 10.8%, Tasmania saw an increase of 10%, Queensland saw an increase of 4.9%, Victoria saw an increase of 3.6%, New South Wales saw an increase of 3.3%, South Australia saw an increase of 2.8% and finally the Northern Territory saw an increase of 2.4%.

3.5 Resident returns, state or territory of residence(a) - annual change to November 2019 (original estimates)

 Nov '18Nov '19Nov '18 to Nov '19
State or territory of residence'000'000% change - original
NSW274.8284.03.3
Vic.228.7237.03.6
Qld144.0151.04.9
SA37.038.12.8
WA95.9107.211.8
Tas.8.69.410.0
NT6.97.02.4
ACT14.315.910.8
Australia(b)810.3849.84.9

a. Only available from original estimates.
b. Includes Other Territories.

Notes

Changes in the September 2019 issue - corrections

The September 2019 issue was replaced with a reissue containing corrected data on short-term visitor arrivals. It included corrections to some key statistics dot points and to some columns in Tables 1, 3, 4 and 5 of the Time Series Spreadsheets as noted below. Data on individual countries were not affected.

Time series spreadsheet affectedColumns affected (cell reference and variable description)
The whole time series is affected for each column listed below
Table 1: Total Movement, Arrivals -
Category of Movement		J - Persons ; Short-term Visitors arriving ; Seasonally adjusted
K - Persons ; Short-term Visitors arriving ; Trend
Table 3: Short-term Movement,
Visitors Arriving - 
Selected Countries of Residence:
Trend

AA - Number of movements ; Other Southern and Eastern Europe ; Short-term Visitors arriving ;
AB - Number of movements ; Total Southern and Eastern Europe ; Short-term Visitors arriving ;
AP - Number of movements ; Other South-East Asia ; Short-term Visitors arriving ;
AQ - Number of movements ; Total South-East Asia ; Short-term Visitors arriving ;
BD - Number of movements ; Other Southern and Central Asia ; Short-term Visitors arriving ;
BE - Number of movements ; Total Southern and Central Asia ; Short-term Visitors arriving ;
BR - Number of movements ; Total (Country of stay/residence) ; Short-term Visitors arriving ;

Table 4: Short-term Movement,
Visitors Arriving -
Selected Countries of Residence:
Seasonally adjusted

AA - Number of movements ; Other Southern and Eastern Europe ; Short-term Visitors arriving ;
AB - Number of movements ; Total Southern and Eastern Europe ; Short-term Visitors arriving ;
AP - Number of movements ; Other South-East Asia ; Short-term Visitors arriving ;
AQ - Number of movements ; Total South-East Asia ; Short-term Visitors arriving ;
BD - Number of movements ; Other Southern and Central Asia ; Short-term Visitors arriving ;
BE - Number of movements ; Total Southern and Central Asia ; Short-term Visitors arriving ;
BR - Number of movements ; Total (Country of stay/residence) ; Short-term Visitors arriving ;

Table 5: Short-term Movement,
Visitors Arriving -
Selected Countries of Residence:
Original

AA - Number of movements ; Other Southern and Eastern Europe ; Short-term Visitors arriving ;
AP - Number of movements ; Other South-East Asia ; Short-term Visitors arriving ;
BD - Number of movements ; Other Southern and Central Asia ; Short-term Visitors arriving ;

Data notes

This release contains overseas movement data which should not be interpreted as 'persons'. See Explanatory Note 7 for more detail.

The statistics in this release have been rounded. See Explanatory Note 35 for more detail.

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Data downloads

1. For further information about the data, including updates or changes, see the Explanatory Notes section of this issue and the related Appendices such as Data Quality Issues.

2. Short-term arrival movements are based on a sample and are subject to sampling error. See paragraphs 10 and 11 of the Explanatory Notes section of this issue.

3. Occasionally situations occur that necessitate breaks being applied to the trend series. For an overview of the breaks currently included in the trend series, see paragraphs 30-31 of the Explanatory Notes section of this issue.

Table 1 - total movement, arrivals - category of movement

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Table 2 - total movement, departures - category of movement

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Table 3 - short-term movement, visitors arriving - selected countries of residence: trend

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Table 4 - short-term movement, visitors arriving - selected countries of residence: seasonally adjusted

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Table 5 - short-term movement, visitors arriving - selected countries of residence: original

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Table 6 - short-term movement, visitors arriving - intended length of stay and main reason for journey: original

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Table 7 - short-term movement, residents returning - selected destinations: trend

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Table 8 - short-term movement, residents returning - selected destinations: seasonally adjusted

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Table 9 - short-term movement, residents returning - selected destinations: original

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Table 10 - short-term movement, residents returning - length of stay and main reason for journey: original

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Table 11 - short-term movement, visitors arriving - state of intended stay: original

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Table 12 - short-term movement, residents returning - state of intended stay: original

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ABS.Stat datasets

Help for: ABS.Stat Datasets

Short-term Movement, Visitors Arriving and Residents Returning - Intended Length of Stay and Main Reason for Journey: Original

Short-term Movement, Visitors Arriving and Residents Returning - Selected Countries of Residence/Destinations: Original, Seasonally Adjusted and Trend

Methodology

Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia methodology, November 2019

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