International visitors on the rise
- 19 June 2019
Some 297,000 international visitors came to the Territory for the year to March 2019, spending $473 million, which is an 18 per cent increase on the previous year.
Most of the visitors came here for holidays, but the numbers also include business travellers and those visiting friends and relatives.
The figures include a 6.5 per cent increase in visitors from the USA, the Territory’s largest international market, reflecting additional investment in US-specific campaigns. Japanese visitors recorded the biggest increase, with visitor numbers up 55 per cent, while visitors from China (including Hong Kong and Taiwan) were up 48 per cent.
In good news for the Territory’s hotel accommodation, the number of international visitors staying in hotels, resorts and motels increased by 12 per cent.
These latest figures show the increased investment by the Government through the Turbocharging Tourism stimulus packages is starting to pay off, with international visitor numbers on the rise, injecting more money into the local economy and supporting thousands of local businesses and jobs.
Building on the momentum of TURBO1, a $103 million investment, the Territory Government has invested a further $62.8 million in a TURBO2 package over two years to ensure visitor growth is sustained.