Interstate visitors Victoria’s biggest tourism market

THE state’s tourism industry has grown by $2 billion and now accounts for more than 6 per cent of state revenue, new figures released on Wednesday show.

VICTORIA’S tourism industry has grown by $2 billion and is now responsible for 6 per cent of state revenue, new figures out Wednesday show.

Wealthy visitors from interstate and overseas have generated about $24.8 billion for the state’s economy.

Tourism employs 214,000 people, and Tourism Research Australia results show the booming sector added a further 15,000 jobs in one year.

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The 12 Apostles are one of Victoria’s tourism drawcards. Picture: Michael Klein

In the 2016-17 financial year, for every dollar spent by a tourist in Victoria an additional 78c was spent elsewhere in the state economy.

Interstate visitors directly injected $6.9 billion into Victoria’s economy, and the lucrative overseas market added another $4.3 billion.

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Travellers are worth $110 billion to the nation’s gross domestic product, and the tourism industry employs 924,600 people nationally.

Acting Tourism Minister Tim Pallas said the strong growth was an economic boon to Victoria.

“Victoria has the fastest-growing economy in the country, and it’s in no small part thanks to the hard work of our tourism operators,” he said. “We’ll do everything we can to ensure this momentum continues.”