Tourism Research Australia’s (TRA) latest international visitor survey has found holidaymakers are setting new records in Canberra
TRA’s data for the year ending March 2019 show the ACT recorded its highest ever growth in both visitors staying overnight and the money they spent.
The data show 259,408 international visitors came, a 4.4 per cent increase compared to the same period last year and ahead of the national average growth of 2.7 per cent.
According to the survey, international visitors spent more than $600 million during the year ending March 2019, creating more jobs and more opportunities for local businesses.
In a quarter that reflected relatively flat international visitation growth across Australia, the ACT recorded the second highest growth nationally.
Canberra’s fourth international source market, India, continued to grow at a rapid rate with 41.4 per cent growth compared to the same time last year.
The data show the top six source countries and their share of the ACT market as: China (19.6 per cent), United Kingdom (8.4 per cent), United States (7.8 per cent) India (6.5 per cent), New Zealand (6.3 per cent), and Germany (4.4 per cent).
Minister for Tourism and Events, Andrew Barr said the result reflected a commitment to growing the visitor economy to $2.5 billion by 2020.
“VisitCanberra’s concentrated destination marketing efforts to international visitors through activities including travel trade events, travel trade and media engagement and cooperative campaigns with online travel agents and Singapore Airlines continues to work towards this goal,” Mr Barr said.
“The success of international tourism in the capital is growing alongside the increase in international flights to Canberra,” he said.
“Between Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways, 14 international flights per week now arrive at Canberra Airport.”
