B&B, camping boom as tourism adds $100bn to economy

International and domestic tourists pumped more than $100 billion into the Australian economy last year.

Total tourism expenditure, domestic and international

International and domestic tourists pumped more than $100 billion into the Australian economy last year, with significant increases in spending in camping grounds and bed-and-breakfast accommodation last year.

Holiday stays in camping grounds picked up 12 per cent to 33.3 million nights in 2016, according to the federal government’s National Visitor Survey to be released today.

Bed-and-breakfast accommodation and guesthouses sustained a significant increase in domestic and international holiday activity with room nights jumping nearly 30 per cent to 3.9 million. Government-run non-commercial caravan parks and camping grounds fared well, increasing 22 per cent to 18.3 million nights.

International and domestic spending jumped $5.6bn during the year to $100.1bn, with domestic tourists spending $61bn and international tourists outlaying $39.1bn.

Of the regions, Queensland’s Sunshine Coast fared well, attracting 3.394 million visitors, up 15.2 per cent on 2015, representing a record high. Expenditure rose 16 per cent to a record $2.12bn. In comparison, Brisbane visitors grew by 5.1 per cent during 2016 with expenditure up just 0.3 per cent. Gold Coast visitors grew by just 1.7 per cent with expenditure up 4 per cent.

The Sunshine Coast’s 15.2 per cent growth rate was the highest for any Queensland region in 2016, far exceeding the national domestic growth figure of 4.2 per cent, and the Queensland average of 3.4 per cent.

Visit Sunshine Coast chief executive Simon Latchford said the Sunshine Coast had consistently recorded Australia’s highest airport growth figures.

All states and territories recorded increases in overnight domestic visitors except for Tasmania, which slumped 7.1 per cent between 2015 and 2016. The largest growth was recorded in the Northern Territory with an 18 per cent increase in visitors, followed by Western Australia with an increase of more than 14 per cent and the Australian Capital Territory with a 13 per cent rise. Regional trip expenditure in Tasmania also dropped by 5 per cent.

The number of Australian travellers heading overseas for a holiday also increased 6 per cent during the year to nearly 6 million.