Page last updated: 02 January 2025
Key Highlights:
- Over 620,000 Australians travelled to the UK in 2024 (year ending June), a 14.81% increase from 540,000 visitors in 2023.
- Over 615,000 UK residents visited Australia in 2024 (year ending June), a 7.27% increase compared to 573,560 visitors in 2023.
- UK residents accounted for 3.08% of Australia’s outbound travel in 2023, with 1.17 million Australians travelling to the UK for the year ending December.
How many Australians visit the UK each year?
Over 620,000 Australians visited the UK in 2024 (year ending June), a 14.81% increase compared to 540,000 visitors in 2023.
In 2019, prior to the pandemic, 670,000 Australians visited the UK, showing a recovery in travel numbers. However, the figures still have not yet reached pre-pandemic levels.
- Annual Breakdown (Year ending June):
- 2024: 620,000 visitors (+14.81% from 2023)
- 2023: 540,000 visitors (+315.38% from 2022).
- 2022: 130,000 visitors.
- 2019: 670,000 visitors.
The UK remains a popular destination for Australians, primarily for leisure and family visits, with key attractions including London, Edinburgh, and the English countryside.
For the year ending December 2023, 1.17 million Australians visited the UK, contributing 12.67% of Australia’s outbound travel. This represents significant growth from 463,000 travellers in 2022.
How many British people visit Australia each year?
Over 615,280 UK residents visited Australia in 2024 (year ending June), reflecting a 7.27% increase from 573,560 visitors in 2023.
In 2019, Australia recorded 718,580 visitors from the UK, highlighting that current travel levels are still recovering.
- Annual Breakdown (Year ending June):
- 2024: 615,280 visitors (+7.27% from 2023).
- 2023: 573,560 visitors (+44.45% from 2022).
- 2022: 397,210 visitors.
- 2019: 718,580 visitors.
The most popular destinations for UK travellers in Australia include Sydney, Melbourne, and Queensland’s coastal regions.
For the year ending December 2023, 604,980 UK residents visited Australia, contributing 6.06% of total international arrivals. This was an 8.1% increase compared to 559,800 visitors in 2022.
What are the top sources of visitors to Australia?
Australia recorded 7.97 million international visitors in 2024 (year ending June).
- Countries contributing to Australia’s international tourism include:
- New Zealand: 1.37 million visitors (17.17%)
- China: 800,390 visits (10.05%)
- United States: 714,790 visits (8.97%)
- United Kingdom: 615,280 visits (7.72%)
- India: 416,440 visits (5.23%)
- Singapore: 392,340 visits (4.93%)
- Japan: 360,120 visits (4.52%)
- South Korea: 353,170 visits (4.43%)
- Indonesia: 215,690 visits (2.71%)
- Hong Kong: 211,240 visits (2.65%)
- Visitors from the UK accounted for 7.72% of total arrivals, ranking 4th among the top visitor sources for Australia.
- Australia’s annual averages for international arrivals typically range between 6 million and 9 million visitors.
Top Source Countries to Australia
Australia Distribution of Outbound Trips (Year Ending December)
| Main country visited | 2013 | 2019 | 2022 | 2023 | 2023 |
| Indonesia | 950,730 | 1,400,730 | 612,450 | 1,368,050 | 13.71% |
| New Zealand | 1,161,530 | 1,462,810 | 707,990 | 1,263,540 | 12.67% |
| USA | 972,020 | 1,055,590 | 462,570 | 667,080 | 6.69% |
| UK | 563,160 | 663,430 | 416,260 | 604,980 | 6.06% |
| Japan | 195,650 | 522,150 | 65,770 | 509,100 | 5.10% |
| Thailand | 626,620 | 542,920 | 241,830 | 500,890 | 5.02% |
| India | 239,650 | 426,110 | 329,220 | 488,980 | 4.90% |
| Fiji | 339,680 | 345,020 | 318,760 | 387,480 | 3.88% |
| Vietnam | 227,710 | 317,100 | 132,070 | 332,650 | 3.33% |
| Singapore | 340,440 | 416,720 | 226,070 | 326,220 | 3.27% |
| Other Countries | 3,092,410 | 4,156,330 | 1,712,650 | 3,526,260 | 35.35% |
| Total Outbound Visit | 8,709,600 | 11,308,910 | 5,225,640 | 9,975,230 | 100.00% |
What are the top sources of visitors to the UK?
In 2023 (year ending December), the US remained the leading source of visitors, accounting for 5.1 million visits, followed by France with 3.2 million, Germany with 3 million, Ireland with 2.9 million, and Spain with 2.2 million.
- Australia contributed 1.17 million visitors, ranking 9th and contributing 3.08% of total international arrivals in 2023.
UK’s Overseas visitor arrivals (Year ended December)
| Main country source | 2023 | 2023 (% ) |
| USA | 5,122,000 | 13.49% |
| France | 3,172,000 | 8.36% |
| Germany | 2,957,000 | 7.79% |
| Republic of Ireland | 2,889,000 | 7.61% |
| Spain | 2,210,000 | 5.82% |
| Netherlands | 1,960,000 | 5.16% |
| Italy | 1,696,000 | 4.47% |
| Poland | 1,628,000 | 4.29% |
| Australia | 1,169,000 | 3.08% |
| Canada | 1,003,000 | 2.64% |
| Other Countries | 14,153,000 | 37.28% |
| Total International Visitors | 37,959,000 | 100.00% |
Australia and UK Travel Resources
Where do Australians travel most?
In 2024 (year ending June), Indonesia became the most visited overseas destination for Australians, with 1.53 million travellers, surpassing New Zealand, which attracted 1.31 million Australians. This marked a clear shift as New Zealand has long been the top destination for Australian travellers in the past five decades.
- The UK remains a key destination for Australians, accounting for 7.8% of total outbound trips in 2024.
Top Destinations for Australians
Australia’s Overseas visitor arrivals (Year ended December)
| Main country source | 2013 | 2019 | 2022 | 2023 | 2023 |
| New Zealand | 1,201,250 | 1,433,780 | 697,620 | 1,272,140 | 17.70% |
| USA | 516,240 | 817,980 | 326,040 | 659,750 | 9.18% |
| UK | 668,210 | 715,830 | 399,210 | 596,870 | 8.30% |
| China | 720,750 | 1,438,670 | 89,260 | 535,800 | 7.45% |
| India | 176,850 | 399,300 | 303,340 | 395,560 | 5.50% |
| Singapore | 333,150 | 478,510 | 295,810 | 364,010 | 5.06% |
| Japan | 330,800 | 498,640 | 79,380 | 297,710 | 4.14% |
| South Korea | 198,870 | 280,490 | 72,500 | 288,020 | 4.01% |
| Indonesia | 146,780 | 221,730 | 90,840 | 201,500 | 2.80% |
| Hong Kong | 182,990 | 315,140 | 53,720 | 183,700 | 2.56% |
| Other Countries | 2,005,810 | 2,865,820 | 1,286,660 | 2,392,370 | 33.29% |
| Total Outbound Visit | 6,481,700 | 9,465,890 | 3,694,380 | 7,187,430 | 100.00% |
Where do British people travel most?
Spain remains the most popular destination for UK residents, with 17.8 million visitors in 2023 (year ending December), accounting for 20.66% of outbound travel.
- Although the number of UK residents travelling to Australia is comparatively lower, Australia continues to grow as a destination, with 596,870 visits in 2023 (year ending December) and 615,280 visits in 2024 (year ending June).
UK-resident traveller (Year ended December)
| Main country visited | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2023(%) |
| Spain | 18,129,000 | 4,225,000 | 15,623,000 | 17,808,000 | 20.66% |
| France | 10,347,000 | 1,593,000 | 7,433,000 | 9,159,000 | 10.62% |
| Italy | 5,105,000 | 856,000 | 3,991,000 | 4,889,000 | 5.67% |
| Greece | 3,438,000 | 1,148,000 | 3,688,000 | 4,131,000 | 4.79% |
| Portugal | 3,311,000 | 1,164,000 | 3,643,000 | 3,961,000 | 4.59% |
| USA | 4,805,000 | 502,000 | 3,410,000 | 3,900,000 | 4.52% |
| Republic of Ireland | 4,786,000 | 1,051,000 | 2,824,000 | 3,439,000 | 3.99% |
| Turkey | 2,291,000 | 351,000 | 2,563,000 | 3,203,000 | 3.72% |
| Poland | 3,231,000 | 942,000 | 2,392,000 | 2,766,000 | 3.21% |
| Netherlands | 3,573,000 | 209,000 | 1,931,000 | 2,662,000 | 3.09% |
| Other Countries | 34,070,000 | 7,101,000 | 23,453,000 | 30,288,000 | 35.13% |
| Total Outbound Visit | 93,086,000 | 19,142,000 | 70,951,000 | 86,206,000 | 100.00% |
Australia Outbound Travel Statistics Resources
- Travel Between Australia and New Zealand
- Travel Between Australia and Indonesia
- Travel Between Australia and USA
- Travel Between Australia and Japan
Australia Travel Statistics Resources
- Adelaide Statistics
- Brisbane Statistics
- Melbourne Statistics
- Perth Statistics
- Sydney Statistics
- Uluru Statistics
- Bondi Beach Statistics
- Byron Bay Statistics
- Cradle Mountain Statistics
- Great Barrier Reef Statistics
- Great Ocean Road & 12 Apostles Statistics
- Sydney Opera House Statistics
- Warner Bros. Movie World Statistics