doublebonuspoker|International tourism to Australia hits post-pandemic high

CANBERRA, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Spending by tourists in Australia has hit the highest level since the COVID-19 pandemic in the first three months of 2024doublebonuspoker.

According to figures released by government agency Tourism Research Australia (TRA) on Wednesday, international visitors spent 10.2 billion Australian dollars (6.8 billion U.S. dollars) in Australia between the start of January and the end of March 2024, representing 99 percent of the spending in the same period in 2019.

Overall 2.1 million people visited Australia from overseas in the three-month period.

Visitors spent a combined 87.5 million nights in Australia between January and March -- up 5 percent from the corresponding period in 2019.

"International tourism is climbing back to pre-pandemic levels, with more international visitors returning to our shores, staying for longer and spending more," Don Farrell, minister for trade and tourism, said in a statement.

"New Zealand, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, and India are currently Australia's top 5 international tourism markets, and we are working hard to encourage more and more visitors from right around the world to book a holiday to come and see Australia."

There were 7.2 million international visitors to Australia in the 12 months to the end of March, 681,000 of whom were from China.

Chinese visitors spent 7.2 billion Australian dollars (4.8 billion U.S. dollars) in Australia over the 12-month period -- more than three times as much as visitors from any other country.

Travel for a holiday was the most common reason for international visits to Australia in the year to March, accounting for 40.7 percent of all trips, followed by visiting friends and relatives at 35 percent and business at 10 percent.■