Tourism Research Australia’s National Visitor Survey results for the year to June 2016 (available here) confirm the wonderful run of data we’ve been seeing in the Far North. Combined with the solid International Visitor Survey data released a fortnight ago (see here) today’s data confirms a fabulous financial year for the tourism sector in general, and in the Far North in particular.
Total overnight domestic visits across the country were up 6.8% y/y to 88.9 million for the year to June 2016. Expenditure rose by 6.4% to $59 billion.
The results were not quite so strong for Queensland where visits were up just 5.7%. As a result the states share of the total domestic market fell to 22.7% which is close to a record low (see the second chart below). However, on the positive side, expenditure in Queensland was up 7% and accounted for 24.8% of all domestic expenditures.
After the phenomenal results of the previous quarter (which saw domestic visitor numbers up by more than a third on the year) TNQ has managed another excellent quarter. Visitor numbers to the region were up to 2 million (or plus 13.6%) with expenditures rising a thumping 24.1% to $2.3 billion. This sees average expenditure per visitor rise by 9.2% to $1,115. With inflation running at just 1-1.5% levels for the year these are excellent results.
With the A$ remaining fairly weak, and potentially set for further declines as US interest rates continue to rise (albeit very slowly), we can expect to see the tourism sector enjoying good results in coming quarters. Indeed data so far available for July (see here) shows international arrivals numbers growing at an ever faster pace, and departures increasing at less than half that rate.