Australia showcases a remarkable rebound in international travel, as unveiled by the latest statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics for August 2023.
Surge in Arrivals: The data reveals a surge in short-term visitor arrivals, hitting an impressive 603,360, denoting a robust annual increase of 254,920 trips. Australians returning home mirrored this upward trend, with short-term resident returns totaling 858,540, reflecting a significant yearly rise of 250,590 trips.
Impressive Totals: The cumulative impact is palpable, with total arrivals reaching 1,544,700, witnessing a noteworthy annual surge of 517,000. Similarly, total departures recorded a substantial yearly rise of 574,290, totaling 1,516,500.
Note: Figures are representative of border crossings; slight discrepancies may arise due to rounding.
Clarity on Migration Stats: It’s essential to delineate the report’s scope, encapsulating all overseas arrivals and departures, from specific overseas migration statistics. For migration-centric data, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) remains the authoritative source.
Short-term Visitor Arrivals – August 2023: In August 2023, 603,360 short-term trips were recorded, though still 23.5% below pre-COVID levels of August 2019. New Zealand emerged as the leading source, contributing 17% of all visitor arrivals.
Leading Contributors:
- New Zealand (105,050 trips)
- China (58,790)
- USA (48,240)
Regional Dynamics: New South Wales led in short-term stays with 230,460 arrivals, while Tasmania recorded the fewest at 4,140.
State and Territory Highlights: For August 2023, New South Wales led in short-term visitor arrivals, closely followed by Victoria and Queensland. The year-on-year changes were remarkable, with New South Wales witnessing a whopping 90.7% increase.
Annual Visitor Arrivals – FY 2022-23: The fiscal year 2022-23 witnessed a resurgence in international travel, with total visitor arrivals reaching 5,856,440, nearly quintupling the previous year. New Zealand retained its status as the largest source country, contributing 18% of visitors. The primary reason for travel remained ‘visiting friends/relatives’ at 41%, with the median stay reducing to 14 days from 25 days in 2021-22.
Boost in Education Sector: The international education sector saw positive signs, as August 2023 welcomed 48,770 international students, marking an 11.3% increase from pre-COVID levels in August 2019.
Residents Return: In a counter migration trend, 858,540 Australians returned home on short-term trips in August 2023, reflecting a 7.8% decrease from pre-COVID levels of August 2019. Indonesia emerged as the top destination, accounting for 15% of all resident returns.