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Media Release

10 million tourists to visit Australia in 2019

    • More than 9.5 million visited in 2018
    • China, New Zealand and USA are three largest countries of origin
    • Tips for planning your next international trip

3 January, 2019, Sydney, Australia – For the first time ever, more than 10 million tourists will travel Down Under in 2019, according to new research by finder.com.au, the site that compares virtually everything.

Finder.com.au crunched the latest data from Australian Bureau of Statistics to reveal the number of international visitors to Australia has grown by 8% each calendar year on average since 2012.

Overseas visits to Australia are set to pass 9 million annually for the first time by the end of this month, the new analysis shows.

Bessie Hassan, spokesperson at finder.com.au, said the love affair with the Lucky Country shows no signs of letting up.

"International tourists are pouring into Australia in record numbers.

"Overseas visitor numbers have grown by a staggering 44 per cent in only five years. The prospect of reaching the 10 million threshold in 2019 is really exciting," she said.

More than 8.8 million international tourists visited Australia in 2017, according to official statistics, 7% higher than the previous year.

That number is expected to grow to more than 9.5 million by the end of 2018 and a whopping 10.3 million in 2019.

Hassan said visitors from China saw the biggest overall growth so far this year, with 1.08 million visits from January to September 2018, closely followed by New Zealand (1.35 million).

"Overall, 300,800 more foreigners visited Australia in January-September 2018 than during the same period in 2017.

"International tourism is booming with Australia receiving a growing market share of global travel," she said.

Tourism operators are in the midst of their biggest month of the year - with the number of overseas visitors peaking every December.

A staggering 754,400 international tourists flocked to Australia in December 2017, with that number predicted to top 800,000 this month.

"The year is set to finish strong and more visitors means more hotel stays, more meals eaten in restaurants and more goods purchased in stores.

"And that means more jobs and a boost to our economy," she said.

Tourists coming to Australia, January to September 2018

Number
China1,083,000
New Zealand1,036,500
USA581,100
UK549,500
Japan345,200
Singapore330,500
Malaysia305,200
India265,000
Hong Kong231,500
South Korea225,900

Source: finder.com.au; ABS

Industry trends:

  • Work out your budget: Whenever you are planning a trip to any part of the world, you need to work out your maximum budget and work out what you need to spend money on. For example, the basics that you will need to pay for are your flights and accommodation, but don't forget about other key areas, such as spending money, the cost of travel insurance, paying for food and drink, etc.
  • Do your research: When you are planning a trip it can really pay to do some thorough research when it comes to finding affordable flights, accommodation or package deals. The Internet is packed with great travel and holiday deals, so spend some time comparing a variety of different deals to find the most suitable and affordable one. You should look at the cost of the trip if you booked accommodation and flights separately as well as looking at booking a package – this way you can see which ones works out the most cost effective.
  • Plan ahead to help cut costs: Some people who are travelling abroad splash their cash on four and five star hotels only to realise when they get to their destination that they spend very little time in their rooms because they are busy exploring. If you do not intend to spend much of your time at the hotel, consider paying less and opting for more basic accommodation and use the money you save to enjoy and explore the place you are visiting.

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Disclaimer

The information in this release is accurate as of the date published, but rates, fees and other product features may have changed. Please see updated product information on finder.com.au's review pages for the current correct values.

About us

Every month 2.2 million unique visitors turn to Finder to save money and time, and to make important life choices. We compare virtually everything from credit cards, phone plans, health insurance, travel deals and much more.

Our free service is 100% independently-owned by two Australians: Fred Schebesta and Frank Restuccia. Since launching in 2006, Finder has helped Aussies find what they need from 1,800+ brands across 100+ categories.

We continue to expand and launch around the globe, and now operate in the United States and the United Kingdom. For further information visit www.finder.com.au.

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