The number of international visitors staying in Canberra overnight in the past financial year increased by 12.4 per cent — a growth rate double the national average.
According to figures for the year ending June 2018 collated by Tourism Research Australia, the number of international overnight visitors to Canberra jumped to 248,914.
Hailing the results, Chief Minister, Andrew Barr said the International Visitor Survey showed that these visitors injected a record $647.4 million into the ACT economy — a growth of 20.9 per cent in the past 12 months.
Mr Barr, who is also Minister for Tourism and Special Events, said the Territory’s international visitors stayed for another record total of 5,688,836 nights which was up 24.1 per cent from the previous year and well ahead of the national growth rate of 1.4 per cent.
“The visitors are also staying longer, averaging 22.9 nights,” Mr Barr said.
He said China remained Canberra’s largest source market at 19.0 per cent of international visitors followed by the United States (9.5 per cent), the United Kingdom (8.2 per cent), New Zealand (7.3 per cent) and India (5.7 per cent).
“Travel trade events, engagement with travel trade and media as well as cooperative campaigns with online travel agents and Singapore Airlines form the basis of the ACT Government’s proactive marketing efforts to promote the destination internationally,” Mr Barr said.
“Singapore Airlines’ move to daily flights from May as well as the start of Qatar Airways’ flights earlier this year were signals of international confidence in the destination.”
