Australia Nears Full Recovery in International Tourism
Australia is approaching a complete recovery in international tourism, with 2024 arrivals reaching 90% of pre-pandemic levels. Trent Banfield, international operations manager at Tourism Australia, reports that the tourism industry is steadily improving since travel resumed over two years ago. The country is optimistic about reaching 2019 figures by the end of the year.
Banfield highlights that some countries have rebounded quicker than others. As of June 2024, arrivals from New Zealand, China, Singapore, India, the U.S., the UK, and South Korea have led the recovery. Additionally, total international visitor spending in the year ending June 2024 has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, reaching 107% of 2019’s figures, although inflation has contributed to this increase.
Australia’s air service has also expanded significantly, boosting inbound seat capacity. New direct routes have been added from cities such as Paris to Perth, and new services from India, South Korea, and Turkey. Turkish Airlines, for instance, has added flights to Melbourne and is set to launch a Sydney route by December. Other airlines have followed suit, with Jetstar Asia introducing flights between Singapore and Broome, Delta launching a seasonal Brisbane-Los Angeles route, and Cathay Pacific resuming flights to Cairns.
Tourism Australia is focusing on attracting visitors from key markets through its global “Come and Say G’day” campaign, which has been live since October 2022. The campaign targets 14 major markets, including the U.S., China, India, and Japan, and will be continuously optimized to maintain momentum.
Looking forward, Australia’s tourism efforts will prioritize high-yield travelers from “star markets” like China, India, Japan, and the U.S., while also targeting luxury travelers from the U.S., UK, and China. Additionally, efforts are underway to restore key routes such as Hong Kong-Adelaide and Vancouver-Melbourne.
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