Australians travelling in record numbers

 

Australians are travelling at record levels, with outbound and inbound travel experiencing unprecedented growth in 2024, the latest Travel Trends Report from the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) shows. The report, which analyses data from various sources, including the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Department of Infrastructure, shows a significant surge in both outbound and inbound travel for the year ending August 2024. Australians are embracing international travel more than ever, with major increases to key destinations across the Asia-Pacific region. Indonesia, which, in effect means Bali, continues to be the top destination for Australians, with a 30.4% increase in travellers, reaching 1.59 million. Japan recorded the highest growth, with a 103.4% rise in Australian visitors, totalling 727,260 for the year.  Other key destinations include New Zealand (up 10.0% to 1.33 million) and the United States, which saw 728,550 Australian visitors, reflecting a 16.7% increase. China led the inbound market, with a 135.5% increase in visitors, reaching 844,940 in 2024. Growth from New Zealand visitors also remained strong, up 20.2% to 1.38 million, while visitors from Japan surged 64.9% to 373,700. Overall, inbound tourism to Australia grew 25.7%, with a total of 8.06 million international visitors in the year ending August 2024. “The incredible 30.4% year-on-year rise in travel to Indonesia, our top overseas destination, shows how much demand for international travel has skyrocketed," said ATIA CEO Dean Long. "But it’s the growth in new and emerging markets that really tell the story of 2024. The 103.4% surge in travel to Japan is a clear sign that Australians are looking for more than just a getaway - they’re seeking cultural immersion and unique experiences. "We’re seeing a shift towards more adventurous and diversified travel, with destinations like Thailand and Vietnam growing by 20.2% and 40.1%, respectively.”

China opens its doors and tourists flock in and out

China may still have a whole lot of unresolved pandemic issues, but tourists are already flocking back in the lead-up to the Lunar New Year.

Trip.com Group, a global travel service provider, has seen demand for travel to mainland Chinese surge after the decision last month to officially abolish all quarantine restrictions for in-bound visitors from January 8.

Since the announcement on 26 December 2022, Trip.com Group said it has has seen a huge increase in searches and the volume of travel bookings.

On Trip.com's Chinese language travel service platform Ctrip search interest for outbound flights from mainland China increased by 83% compared to the two-week period prior, with outbound flight bookings increasing by 59% over the same period from December 26 to January 5.

Bookings show the most popular cross-border destinations for Chinese tourists include: Macao, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, Singapore, the United States, Malaysia, the United Kingdom and Indonesia.

The Lunar New Year runs from January 21-27.

The most popular domestic destinations for the holiday are Shanghai, Beijing, Sanya, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Kunming, Hangzhou, Chongqing and Haikou.

Trip.com also operates Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Qunar.

Find out more: group.trip.com.