Cheap Aussie currency triggers $1 million a day spending spree by international visitors

THE cheap Aussie dollar is proving to be the best thing to happen to the tourism industry with international tourists splurging $1 million each day in 2015.

THE cheap Aussie dollar is being credited with a major spending spree by international visitors who splashed out an incredible $1 million a day travelling down under last year.

The International Visitor Survey prepared by Tourism Research Australia shows $36.6 billion was spent by overseas arrivals in 2015, up 18 per cent on the previous year.

Big-spending American and Chinese visitors led the drive contributing $11.6 billion between them.

New South Wales remained the most visited state for overseas arrivals.

Visitors from the US are now back to the levels seen in the lead-up to the 2000 Sydney Olympics, largely thanks to the greater buying power of the greenback down under.

Since the start of 2014, the Aussie dollar has fallen from 93 US cents to 71 cents US.

Federal Tourism Minister Richard Colbeck said the lower value of the dollar had boosted Australia’s desirability as a global tourism destination.

But he said the government’s efforts to increase flight capacity and targeted international campaigns like Restaurant Australia and the new Coastal and Aquatic Experiences campaign had also played a big part.

Tasmania saw the biggest growth in overseas visitors of any state in 2015. Picture: Tourism Tasmania & Andrew McIntosh, Ocean Photography.

Although New South Wales remained the state most visited by international arrivals, Victoria and Tasmania both managed the greatest growth in numbers and regional trip expenditure.

Victoria leapfrogged Queensland to become the second most popular state for overseas tourists, attracting 2.4 million up 13.6 per cent on 2014 (compared with Queensland’s 2.3 million).

Tasmania grew visitor numbers a whopping 19.6 per cent to 212,000 and saw expenditure grow 34 per cent, to $351 million.

Minister Colbeck said most pleasing was the growth in regional tourism — with 44 cents in every tourism dollar now spent in areas outside the major cities.

Tiffany Shih from Taiwan and Esther Tsang from Hong Kong enjoy a meal at the Surfers Paradise Beach Cafe. Picture: Luke Marsden/News Corp Australia.

“The survey showed visits to farms increased 14 per cent, national or state parks increased by 13 per cent and visits to wineries increased by a remarkable 37 per cent,” Minister Colbeck said.

“The number of visitors from China increased 21 per cent while expenditure grew 45 per cent to reach a new record high of $8.3 billion.”

Tourism Australia Managing Director John O’Sullivan said the figures did not need much “talking up”.

“For us the story is about yield, with international spending growing last year at more than twice the rate of our already strong international arrivals,” he said.

“All our key markets made substantial contributions in 2015 and with an exciting new global campaign starting to roll out, we have the opportunity to maintain this momentum into 2016 and beyond.”

Originally published as Cheap Aussie currency triggers $1 million a day spending spree by international visitors