Australia welcomed 14,200 visitors from India during September 2014, bringing the total for the nine months to September to 140,440, an increase of 17.6 per cent relative to the same period previous year. The total arrivals for the year ended (YE) September 2014 were 190,000, an increase of 14.5 per cent relative to the same period previous year.
In the year ending September 2014, a high proportion of Indian visitors visited Australia for leisure (126,700). Other visitors visited for business (25,350), education (11,700) and other purposes (26,100). Leisure visitors are on holiday (46,200) or visiting friends and relatives (80,500).
The Tourism Forecasting Committee (TFC) is forecasting 190,000 visitors from India for 2014-15, a 6.4 per cent increase over 2013-14. There were 164,000 actual arrivals in 2012-13, 7.5 per cent increase over 2011-12. Arrivals from India are expected to perform well with an average annual financial year growth rate of 7.2 per cent through to the financial year 2021-22.
For 12 months ending June 2014, Indian visitors contributed A$ 752 million to Australia’s total expenditure. Indian visitors spent a total of 9.4 million nights in Australia, with the average length of stay being 55 nights.
