International visitors to Australia biggest in two years after border reopening

Australia’s appeal as an international tourist destination is on the rise again with visitors from the UK leading the charge down under.

Tourism Australia has been selling the country overseas with images like this in its 'Come and Say G'Day, Don't Go Small … Go Australia! campaign. Picture: Supplied

Visitors from the UK are heading to Australia in greater numbers than any other nationality with more than 27,000 pouring into the country in the first month since borders fully reopened.

Overseas arrivals and departures data from the Bureau of Statistics showed short-term visitor numbers in March were still 81 per cent below that of 2019 figures, but much improved on a year ago.

Travellers from the UK doubled in number from February to March, to 27,460, which represented 37 per cent of pre-pandemic figures.

After the UK, New Zealand was the largest source of short-term arrivals with 18,680, a mere 17 per cent of pre-Covid numbers, followed by people from India, and then the US.

Prior to the pandemic, China was Australia’s biggest visitor market, followed by New Zealand and the US with the UK fourth.

The encouraging figures out of the UK follow a major marketing push by Tourism Australia designed to reignite interest in the land down under.

To coincide with the February 21 border reopening to tourists, Londoners were treated to images of kangaroos on sandy beaches splashed across giant billboards in Piccadilly Circus.

Tourism Australia’s ‘Come and Say G'Day, Don't Go Small…Go Australia!’ campaign.

The total of 161,720 short-term visitors was the highest number to set foot in Australia since March 2020, with almost two-thirds indicating the reason for coming was to see family and friends.

Of the other 212,000 people to arrive down under in March, 28,230 were international students, another 39,460 were working holiday makers with the remainder a mix of returning residents and permanent arrivals.

Provisional data for April suggested another big leap in overseas departures and arrivals as travel once again took flight.

Australian Tourism Export Council managing director Peter Shelley said it was incredible to see how quickly numbers were climbing in response to the border reopening.

“It’s probably not surprising we’re seeing good numbers from the UK, New Zealand, India and Singapore, given the strong family and friends markets in those countries,” he said.

“We’re probably still a couple of months from seeing a similar rebound in the leisure and business travel market but hopefully we’ll see some return in late April and May.”

Mr Shelley said it was most pleasing that international students and working holiday makers were heading back, given the need for staff across the tourism and hospitality industry.

“They will certainly help top up our workforce which has been significantly depleted by the pandemic,” he said.

The number of Australians leaving the country to travel overseas was also gaining momentum with 323,090 heading off in April, back to almost 50 per cent of pre-Covid levels.

Skyscanner data showed the most booked destinations out of Australia for 2022 were London, Bali and Singapore followed by Bangkok, Auckland, Seoul and New Delhi.

The travel booking site was also seeing skyrocketing demand for Doha in Qatar — up 156 places to 48, and Amman in Jordan which was up 99 places to 61.

Originally published as International visitors to Australia biggest in two years after border reopening