Trip expenditure per visitor of Australian residents traveling overseas 2010-2019

Australians spent an average of 3,100 U.S. dollars per departure when traveling overseas in 2019. The amount spent on overseas holidays per departure had up until then increased incrementally since 2016 after falling from a peak of over 4,000 U.S. dollars per trip in 2011 and 2012. The United States, New Zealand, and Indonesia were among the most popular destinations for Australian visitors.

Inbound visitors to Australia

Over the last decade, the number of overseas visitors to Australia has steadily increased, reaching 8.6 million in the fiscal year 2019. The state of Victoria alone welcomed approximately three million international visitors in that year. However, with global lockdowns and travel restrictions, this trend did not continue into the fiscal years ahead, as the number of international inbound travelers to Australia decreased significantly, dropping to 6.2 million tourists in 2020.

GDP of Australia’s tourism sector

From 2015 to 2019, the tourism sector contributed 11 percent of Australia's gross domestic product. This refers to the share of GDP generated by all industries with direct contact with visitors. This share declined drastically following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and is not expected to recover completely until 2025.