Australia’s tourism economy is expected to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels by the end of the year, with most markets seeing steady increases in international visitors and strong growth in the aviation industry.
Arrivals in March were 91% of 2019 levels, with India and South Korea surpassing pre-pandemic numbers and other countries, such as China, gradually closing the gap.
Tourism Australia’s Philippa Harrison speaks to media at ATE24
These developments were announced at the Australian Tourism Exchange 2024 (ATE24) in Melbourne. The event attracted unprecedented attendance, with more than 2,600 delegates registered to attend, including 1,500 Australian sellers and 714 global tourism buyers, including 60 first-time sellers and 109 first-time buyers, highlighting the strong interest in Australia as a tourism destination.
“We are confident that this year we can return to 2019 levels, stop referencing that baseline and refocus on the sustainable growth the industry experienced in the decade pre-pandemic,” Tourism Australia managing director Philippa Harrison said.
“Even in China, which is a very large market for us, it’s now in the 70 percent range,” she noted.
A major contributor to the recovery will be new routes and improved connectivity, a key point of the ATE24 press conference. Highlights include 12 new international routes launching between November 2023 and December 2024, including direct flights from Mumbai via Air India and multiple routes from Shanghai, providing improved connections to Brisbane, Sydney, Perth and Cairns.
Two new services will be added this year from Singapore to Broome and Darwin, both operated by Jetstar Asia and Qantas.
For the fourth consecutive year, ATE24 will also host the Aviation Hub, facilitating vital networking between representatives from 31 airlines and all 17 international airports.
Mr Harrison said with a full recovery in international tourism nearing, Tourism Australia was beginning to focus its efforts on generating more sustainable growth while encouraging tourists to extend their stay and experience more of the country.
Indigenous tourism and epic self-drive adventures are also key pillars driving the strategy going forward.
“There’s a range of new events, new experiences, we’ve got lots of news to share across Australia,” Mr Harrison said.
Visit Victoria CEO Brendan McClements said hosting ATE24 in Melbourne will play a key role in the sustained growth of Victoria’s tourism economy, highlighting the event as a valuable platform to globally promote the unique tourism experiences available across the state.
“The event will provide a global platform for Tourism Victoria’s new tourism campaign, ‘Every bit different’, highlighting the inclusivity, diversity and creativity of our state’s experiences and regions,” he said.
ATE24 is brought to you by Tourism Australia in partnership with Tourism Victoria.
