The Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) has welcomed figures showing international visitor spend increasing by 20 per cent over the past year, visitor numbers growing by 10 per cent and holiday travel expenditure up 17 per cent, with China leading the charge.
The latest International Visitor Survey results for the year ending March 2026, highlight the continued strength across Australia’s inbound tourism sector and reinforcing the country’s position as one of the world’s most sought-after destinations.
ATEC managing director Peter Shelley said the results were extremely encouraging and reflected the significant work undertaken by industry over recent years to rebuild Australia’s international visitor economy.
“These are positive results and demonstrate Australia remains highly attractive to international travellers, with strong growth in both visitor numbers and holiday spending across many of our key markets,” Shelley said.
“It is particularly encouraging to see continued growth despite global disruptions earlier this year, including the initial impacts of instability in the Middle East, as well as strong performance from China driven by the extended Lunar New Year travel period.”
Shelley said while the results were positive, they should not create complacency about the work still required to ensure Australia remains globally competitive.
“While visitor spending growth is encouraging, it is important to recognise part of that increase also reflects higher travel costs and inflationary pressures, meaning expenditure growth alone does not tell the full story.
“Our members continue to report strong international interest across key markets including China, India, Southeast Asia, Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States, however, converting that demand into confirmed bookings remains increasingly competitive in a rapidly changing global environment.”
Recovery trajectory
Shelley said Australia had worked hard to rebuild international tourism and the current recovery trajectory demonstrated the value of sustained investment in promoting Australia globally.
“Australia is operating in an increasingly competitive international environment, and we cannot afford to lose momentum as destinations around the world continue to invest aggressively in attracting visitors, strengthening aviation access and supporting tourism growth,” he said.
“At the same time, Australia is facing policy decisions that risk weakening our competitive position – reducing investment in tourism marketing and increasing departure tax, making travel to Australia more expensive – sending the wrong signal at a time when protecting market share has never been more important.
“International tourism remains one of Australia’s most valuable export industries, and these results show what can be achieved when Australia remains focused on growing global demand. The priority now must be ensuring we maintain that momentum.”
