Number of international visitors to Australia FY 2010-2024

Between 2010 and 2019, there was a continuous upward trend in the number of international visitors arriving in Australia. However, the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in the middle of the 2020 financial year saw international visitors to Australia drop to 6.2 million visitors from 8.6 million in the financial year 2019. With lockdowns and travel restrictions all around the world, this trend continued into the 2021 financial year, with international visitors to Australia only at around 140 thousand people. However, the number of international visitors to the country rose in 2022 and 2023, and exceeded seven million in 2024, indicating a gradual increase from the aftermath of the pandemic. 

International tourists’ reasons for visiting Australia

During the financial year 2024, going on holiday and visiting friends and family who live in the country were the most popular reasons to go to Australia among international travelers. Around three million visited for a holiday and approximately 770 thousand people came for business purposes. Elsewhere, there were about 290 thousand jobseekers who traveled to Australia for employment reasons.

How long did tourists spend in Australia, and where did they spend the most time?

In 2024, New South Wales accounted for over a third of all international visitor nights spent across Australia. Victoria was the second most popular state, which can be potentially attributed to a higher concentration of visitor attractions in the state.