Aussie visits become cheaper
12 March 2016 by News DeskRecord numbers of visitors and students came to the ‘lucky country’ last year as the falling dollar means Aussie visits become cheaper.
Aussie visits become cheaper as Australia’s currency has fallen in tourists’ favour fueling an 11% rise in the number of visitors in 2015.
Aussie visits become cheaper because the country’s main cities are no longer among the most expensive places in the world. Sydney has fallen from fifth place to 20th and Melbourne has fallen from sixth place to 21st in a list of the world’s most expensive cities.
Three years ago Perth ranked as 11th most expensive city in the world but is now 56th. Brisbane has fallen to 49th position and Adelaide to 53rd. Auckland and Wellington have also become cheaper, at 38th and 42nd respectively according to the Economist Intelligence Unit.
And as Aussie visits become cheaper, this new affordability has fueled a big increase in tourism. There was an 11% rise in the number of short-term international visitors in 2015, around 40% of who were visitors from China:
In 2015 there were 531,700 more short-term arrivals than in 2014 and 196,700 came from China. In the 12 months to January 2016 there were 564,200 more arrivals than the same time previously.
In January this year there were 66,200 more visitors to Australia than there was in the same month in 2015. There has been a 14% increase in people coming to Australia for a short visit. Such visits accounted for two-thirds of the total increase in visitors into Australia throughout 2015:
But not everyone comes to Australia for a holiday. The big growth in the past year has been for employment and education, with holidays coming in third.
Holiday-makers spent $14.3bn while in Australia, compared with $8.7bn spent by overseas students.
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