Published Friday, 07 December, 2007 at 12:11 PM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
International tourists linger longer in the Far North
Queensland’s tropical north is enticing overseas tourists to stay longer, with international visitor nights up 13 per cent in the year to September 2007, the latest International Visitor Survey results show.
Tourism Minister Desley Boyle – also the Member for Cairns – said the Far North welcomed 838,500 international visitors who spent $1.055 billion and 6.8 million visitor nights in the region in the year to September 2007.
“International holiday visitor nights increased strongly – up 10 per cent – while there were also increases in international business nights and in people from overseas visiting friends and relatives here,” she said.
“The average length of stay for international visitors to the Far North increased to 8.2 nights – up from 7.1 nights. The average spend per night was $152 while the average spend per person (per trip) was $1258.”
While the number of Japanese visitors declined by 8 per cent, Japan remained the Far North’s largest source market, with Japanese tourists staying an average of 5.3 nights in the region in the year to September 2007 – up from 4.6 nights.
Ms Boyle said one of the most exciting trends was the rapid rise in visitors to Tropical North Queensland from China: a 48 per cent increase to 48,500 people.
“China is now the Far North’s fourth largest international source market,” she said.
“The average length of stay for Chinese visitors to the Far North increased over the year to 2.9 nights up from 2.6 nights in the previous year to September.
“China is an important future market and these great results are a testament to the hard work being undertaken by the Queensland Government’s international tourism representatives.”
Ms Boyle said Australia was still experiencing a softening of visitors from Japan with Queensland experiencing an 11 per cent fall in the number of visitors.
“The Queensland Government, Tourism Queensland and Tourism Tropical North Queensland have been working closely with major airlines to increase affordable access from Japan as well as undertaking a large range of media and marketing initiatives.”
Visitors from the United Kingdom - the region’s second largest source market – increased their stay to 9.7 nights (up from nine nights over the year to September 2006) and travellers from the United States – the third largest source market – stayed an average of six nights (up from 5.4 nights the previous year).
The number of backpackers Far North Queensland from the United States increased by 41 per cent and backpackers from Germany increased by 11 per cent. Germany is the region’s second largest international backpacker market, while the USA is fourth.
Ms Boyle said international leisure visitors made up the bulk of overseas travellers to the Far North with 91 per cent of all international visitors in the region for holiday purposes and 4 per cent visiting friends and relatives.
The region received a total of 762,300 international holiday visitors in the year to September 2007.
Far North Queensland International Visitor Snapshot:
(Year ending September 2007)
• International visitors spent $1.055 billion in the region
• 838,500 international visitors spent 6,842,100 international visitor nights in the region
• International holiday visitor nights increased by 10%
• The average length of stay for international visitors to Far North Queensland increased to 8.2 nights – up from 7.1 nights
• Japanese visitors stayed an average 5.3 nights – up from 4.6 nights
• UK visitors stayed an average 9.7 nights – up from 9 nights
• US visitors stayed an average 6 nights – up from 5.4 nights
• The number of visitors from China increased by almost 50% to 48,500 people
• Chinese tourists stayed an average 2.9 nights – up from 2.6 nights
• 95% of all international overnight visitors to Far North Queensland were leisure visitors
• The number of backpacker visitors from the United States increased by 41% and from Germany 11%
Ends
Media contacts:
Minister Boyle: 3224 2004
Tourism Queensland: 3535 5010
7 December 2007
Tourism Minister Desley Boyle – also the Member for Cairns – said the Far North welcomed 838,500 international visitors who spent $1.055 billion and 6.8 million visitor nights in the region in the year to September 2007.
“International holiday visitor nights increased strongly – up 10 per cent – while there were also increases in international business nights and in people from overseas visiting friends and relatives here,” she said.
“The average length of stay for international visitors to the Far North increased to 8.2 nights – up from 7.1 nights. The average spend per night was $152 while the average spend per person (per trip) was $1258.”
While the number of Japanese visitors declined by 8 per cent, Japan remained the Far North’s largest source market, with Japanese tourists staying an average of 5.3 nights in the region in the year to September 2007 – up from 4.6 nights.
Ms Boyle said one of the most exciting trends was the rapid rise in visitors to Tropical North Queensland from China: a 48 per cent increase to 48,500 people.
“China is now the Far North’s fourth largest international source market,” she said.
“The average length of stay for Chinese visitors to the Far North increased over the year to 2.9 nights up from 2.6 nights in the previous year to September.
“China is an important future market and these great results are a testament to the hard work being undertaken by the Queensland Government’s international tourism representatives.”
Ms Boyle said Australia was still experiencing a softening of visitors from Japan with Queensland experiencing an 11 per cent fall in the number of visitors.
“The Queensland Government, Tourism Queensland and Tourism Tropical North Queensland have been working closely with major airlines to increase affordable access from Japan as well as undertaking a large range of media and marketing initiatives.”
Visitors from the United Kingdom - the region’s second largest source market – increased their stay to 9.7 nights (up from nine nights over the year to September 2006) and travellers from the United States – the third largest source market – stayed an average of six nights (up from 5.4 nights the previous year).
The number of backpackers Far North Queensland from the United States increased by 41 per cent and backpackers from Germany increased by 11 per cent. Germany is the region’s second largest international backpacker market, while the USA is fourth.
Ms Boyle said international leisure visitors made up the bulk of overseas travellers to the Far North with 91 per cent of all international visitors in the region for holiday purposes and 4 per cent visiting friends and relatives.
The region received a total of 762,300 international holiday visitors in the year to September 2007.
Far North Queensland International Visitor Snapshot:
(Year ending September 2007)
• International visitors spent $1.055 billion in the region
• 838,500 international visitors spent 6,842,100 international visitor nights in the region
• International holiday visitor nights increased by 10%
• The average length of stay for international visitors to Far North Queensland increased to 8.2 nights – up from 7.1 nights
• Japanese visitors stayed an average 5.3 nights – up from 4.6 nights
• UK visitors stayed an average 9.7 nights – up from 9 nights
• US visitors stayed an average 6 nights – up from 5.4 nights
• The number of visitors from China increased by almost 50% to 48,500 people
• Chinese tourists stayed an average 2.9 nights – up from 2.6 nights
• 95% of all international overnight visitors to Far North Queensland were leisure visitors
• The number of backpacker visitors from the United States increased by 41% and from Germany 11%
Ends
Media contacts:
Minister Boyle: 3224 2004
Tourism Queensland: 3535 5010
7 December 2007