International travel to Australia collapsed in April as COVID-19 restrictions sent overseas visitor arrival numbers plunging 99.7 per cent, the largest fall on record.
The disastrous result for the local tourism industry is unlikely to be fully offset by a 98 per cent drop in departures that will see almost $5 billion in monthly overseas trips and tourism expenses now saved by Australians and, the industry hopes, poured back into the economy.
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Matthew Cranston was The Australian Financial Review’s United States correspondent.
Fiona Carruthers has written and edited travel for the Financial Review for almost a decade. She has held senior roles with ABC Radio National, Deutsche Welle Radio, TIME and The Australian, and was deputy editor of Traveller. Email Fiona at fcarruthers@afr.com
