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News: Australian tourist numbers decline

Australia’s tourism industry has suffered another blow with the total number of inbound arrivals for August 2006 down 4.3% (representing 18,600 people) while outbound departures increased by 2.1% (representing 8,200 people) compared to the same month last year, says TTF Australia (Tourism & Transport Forum).

TTF Australia Managing Director Christopher Brown said the latest Overseas Arrivals and Departures (OAD) figures should be a stern wake up call to Australian Governments and the private sector to stem the decline in the country's tourism industry.

“Tourism is Australia’s largest service export. The industry is worth $75 billion to the economy and employs more than 550,000 Australians. Today’s results show the value of the industry is under threat," Brown said.

“Australia’s international and domestic tourism sectors are in decline as less international visitors arrive in Australia and more Australians choose to holiday overseas."

Asian tourist numbers rising whilst visitors from established markets decline in number

Brown pointed out that increasing visitors to Australia from emerging markets in Asia do not make up for the falling visitor numbers from more established markets like the UK and the US.

“The inbound tourism industry is losing ground with the August 2006 OADs showing that of the top 15 inbound source markets only five recorded positive growth: India (26.1%), China (12.6%), Indonesia (8%), Korea (5.5%) and Singapore (1.8%)," Brown said.

“Tourism Australia’s focus on the emerging tourism markets of China and India is proving successful with both markets showing impressive increases.

But Brown added, “The growth in the emerging markets is pleasing, however it does not compensate for the ongoing decline seen in the larger markets of New Zealand (-10.2%), Japan (-3.2%), the United Kingdom (-6.9%), Taiwan (-26.5%), Germany (-1.7%) and the USA (-4.1%)."

Brown highlighted the increasing competition for its "share of the discretionary dollar" the Australian tourism industry is facing from consumer goods and the allure of international travel.  For this reason, he stressed the importance of proper Government funding for tourism marketing and destination development.

“The Australian Government and some states including Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, Northern Territory and Tasmania have made strong tourism investments and are reaping the rewards," Brown continued.

But he added, “NSW, South Australia and the ACT have not yet made appropriate investments and are holding the national industry back.”

This fall in tourist numbers is in spite of an AUD$180 million international advertising campaign launched by the Australian Government to promote the country's tourist sector back in February this year (See http://australia.themovechannel.com/News/2006/February/23e.asp for details).

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