Labor welcomes Tourism Research Australia’s latest National Visitors Survey and International Visitor Survey results, which highlight record numbers for domestic day trips and domestic spend.
It is clear that more Australians are choosing to explore our nation’s many wonderful sights and experiences, with domestic spend reaching a record $77.5 billion.
While these results demonstrate promising growth in some parts of the sector, they also highlight areas which have been mismanaged by the Liberal-National Government.
International Visitor Survey results show fewer backpackers are visiting all States and Territories, except the ACT, with the Northern Territory experiencing a worrying 12.3 per cent drop in backpacking visitors and a 9.3 per cent drop in expenditure.
This is followed closely by South Australia, which saw a 6.7 per cent reduction in backpacker numbers, compounded by a staggering 25.2 per cent reduction in backpackers’ spend in the State.
It is clear that the Government’s mishandling of the backpacker tax continues to be felt across Australia, particularly in our rural and regional areas.
Backpackers contribute to our economy in a number of ways and the Government must do more to bring backpackers back to Australia.