Australia Yearbook - 2001

792 Year Book Australia 2001
Inbound tour operators
The latest data for the operations of inbound tour
operators relate to 1995–96. Of the 2.4 million
overseas ‘holiday’ visitors who arrived in Australia
in that year, inbound tour operators handled
1.6 million (68%). These overseas visitors coming
to Australia on package tours paid a total of
$1.4b to Australian inbound tour operators for
the Australian content of their tour.
Passengers from Japan accounted for 42% of the
total passengers involved and 56% of the total
value of gross invoices (i.e. all amounts received
for ground content, e.g. coach transfers,
accommodation, meals, cruises, etc., received in
Australia). Passengers from Asia (excluding Japan)
represented 33% of total passengers and
accounted for 21% of the total value of gross
invoices.
Europe (including the United Kingdom and
Ireland) accounted for 14% of passengers and
14% of the total value of gross invoices, and the
Americas for 7% of passengers and 8% of the total
value of gross invoices.
At 30 June 1996, inbound tour operators
employed 3,000 persons full-time and 720 persons
part-time in Australia. In addition, they employed
410 persons full-time overseas.
Australia’s tourism marketing
expenditure overseas
The latest data about Australia’s marketing
expenditure on tourism relate to 1996–97. In that
year, Australian tourism-related organisations
(excluding the Australian Tourist Commission)
spent $280m marketing their products overseas.
Of this total expenditure, 29% was directed
towards the Japanese market, 27% towards other
Asian countries, 20% towards the United
Kingdom and Europe, and 15% towards the
United States and Canada.
Of the total expenditure, 23% was by inbound
tour operators, 18% by accommodation
operators, 13% by State tourism authorities and
5% by regional tourist bodies. Other operators
(including airlines, exhibition organisers,
incentive travel operators, and professional
conference organisers) accounted for 30% of total
tourism marketing expenditure overseas.
International outbound
tourism
While the number of foreign visitors coming to
Australia increased in 1999 after a fall in 1998, the
number of Australian residents departing for
overseas has been increasing over the last six
years (table 22.12). Until 1996 the annual
percentage increase in Australians visiting
overseas was smaller than the increase in visitor
arrivals. However, in 1997 and 1998 the
percentage increase in Australians travelling
abroad was greater than the increase in
international visitors coming to Australia, with
those departing up by 7% and 8% respectively
when compared with visitors arriving (up 4% in
1997, and down 4% in 1998). In 1999 the 7%
increase of inbound visitors compared with only a
1.5% increase in outbound visitors. The number
of inbound visitors remained higher than the
number of outbound visitors, by just over
1.2 million persons in 1999. Consequently,
tourism continues to improve the net
contribution of the travel item to Australia’s
balance on current account.
22.12 AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS TRAVELLING
ABROAD
Change
Year
no.
%
1991 2 099 400 –3.2
1992 2 276 260 8.4
1993 2 267 080 –0.4
1994 2 354 310 3.8
1995 2 518 620 7.0
1996 2 731 970 8.5
1997 2 932 760 7.3
1998 3 161 060 7.8
1999 3 209 990 1.5
Source: Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia
(3401.0).
Australians travel abroad to visit a wide variety of
destinations. As table 22.13 shows, the most
popular main destination is New Zealand,
accounting for 15% of Australian residents visiting
abroad in 1999. This was followed by the United
States (11%) and the United Kingdom (10%).
Australian residents departing to Indonesia, who
accounted for 9% of all departures in 1999, fell by
almost 20%.
Nearly half (46%) of Australian residents visiting
abroad in 1999 went for ‘holiday’ purposes, while
a further 25% went to ‘visit friends/relatives’
(table 22.13). Holidays were the main purpose of