Latest International Visitor Survey shows backpacker numbers increasing to the end of March 2010 – but the next quarter will be critical
Tourism Research Australia’s latest International Visitor Survey shows a marked increase in backpacker visitors year on year, flying in the face of reports on the ground of a slump in business.
Figures for the year ended March 31 2010 reveal 591,000 backpackers visited Australia, up 33,000 year on year. Average length of stay is down one night to 74 while spend is down slightly at $5,901 compared to $5,914 the previous year. Despite this, the total value of the backpacker segment has climbed to A$3.49 billion on the back of increased visitor numbers.
The results will come as a surprise to operators on the ground, who have reported a considerable drop-off in backpacker numbers since April. However, Tourism Research Australia’s figures only go up to the end of March and include the last nine months of 2009. The industry will be awaiting the April-June 2010 results with keen interest.
In terms of the state-by-state breakdown, the biggest winner was New South Wales, with 29,000 extra visitors, followed by Queensland (up 19,000), Victoria (up 14,000), South Australia (up 9,000) and Northern Territory (up 8,000). However, Western Australia took a hit, with 8,000 fewer backpacker visitors year on year. Tasmania and ACT remained flat.
In visitor nights, New South Wales increased its market share from 30% to 32% but Queensland just kept its nose in front (up 1% to 33%). Northern Territory also recorded a 1% increase to 4% while the biggest loser was Western Australia again, down from 12% to 10% year on year.
The United Kingdom remains the largest source market with 128,000 visitors, followed by Germany (62,000), USA (54,000), Other Europe (50,000), France (37,000), Scandinavia (33,000), New Zealand and Korea (both 28,000).
To view the report in full, click here.
By Martin Lane · June 9th, 2010 at 9:06 am
Comments
10 Jun 10
5:25 pm
If there was an increase in visitation numbers for Queensland then they certaintly haven’t visited Airlie Beach!! Businesses here are closing every day, and the discount war is alive and well for accommodation providers.
10 Jun 10
6:01 pm
Total numbers of backpackers going up isn’t a surprise. Neither is the slight decrease in spend, although most in the industry would of thought it higher. What you have to remember is that $5,901 doesn’t buy you as much as it did last year. I’d say that almost every supplier raised their prices by a minimum 2-3% for 2009-10. So that means instead of doing that extra tour, staying that extra week, or buying that extra round (although I doubt the bars are really hurting) They’ve packed it in just that bit earlier. I’m no economist but if the average spend doesn’t go up proportionally by the average raise in price in the industry then companies will feel the pinch.
14 Jun 10
9:03 pm
There must be a black hole as most biz owners I have spoken to have reported a slow down. I’d be interested to see how the figure is calculated for average spend and no-one has ever asked me or the customers in my shop how much they spent.
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