Australia Tourism Statistics

About 8.27 million international tourists visited Australia in 2025 and spent $55.67 billion¹, while Australians took another 112.99 million domestic overnight trips². From large cities such as Sydney and Melbourne to natural wonders like the Great Barrier Reef and Uluru, here is how many people visit, where they come from, where they go and how much they spend.

About 8.27 million international tourists visited Australia in 2025¹, 5% below the 2019 peak of 8.71 million³. Including 112.99 million domestic overnight trips by Australians², the total was about 121.26 million visitor trips.

• Total visitor trips in Australia reached 123.47 million in 2019 (8.71 million international³, 114.76 million domestic⁴) before the pandemic struck.
• In 2020, the pandemic caused the total arrivals to drop to 90.04 million visitor trips (1.71 million international⁵, 88.33 million domestic)⁴. Overall numbers then recovered slightly in 2021 to 96.50 million (220,000 international⁵, 96.28 million domestic).⁴
• By 2022, Australia's tourism sector showed signs of recovery with 119.07 million visitor trips (3.42 million international⁶, 115.65 million domestic), and in 2023, the total further increased to 125.05 million (6.64 million international, 118.41 million domestic)⁴, already above pre-pandemic levels.
• The total peaked at 125.47 million in 2024 (7.63 million international¹, 117.84 million domestic)⁴, then eased to 121.26 million in 2025 (8.27 million international, 112.99 million domestic²¹), about 2% below the 2019 level.

About 5.77 million short-term visitor arrivals were recorded in Australia from January to August 2026, 2% more than in the same months of 2025⁸.

• February 2026 was the busiest month so far with 943,220 arrivals, while June (566,910) was the quietest. August 2026 recorded 755,530 arrivals, 0.3% up on August 2025 but still 4.3% below August 2019⁸.
• In the year ending June 2026, international visitors made 8.43 million trips to Australia (up 9%) and spent $56.96 billion (up 12%)⁹.
• Domestic overnight trips fell 2% to 27.1 million in the June quarter 2026, while overnight spending rose 2% to $25.7 billion¹⁰.

Full-year 2026 results are due in early 2027.

Tourism earned Australia a record $162.42 billion in visitor spending in 2025, 45% more than in pre-pandemic 2019, and added $81.1 billion directly to GDP in 2024-25.

How much does tourism add to Australia's economy?

• Tourism's direct Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was $81.1 billion in current prices for the 2024-25 financial year, a 3.8% increase from the previous year¹¹.
• Tourism directly supported 696,000 filled jobs in 2024-25, up 2.0% on the year and equal to 4.4% of all jobs, or about 1 in every 23 jobs in Australia¹¹.

How much does it cost to visit Australia?

The average visitor spending per capita in Australia varies significantly between international and domestic tourists, with an overall average of $1,339 per visitor in 2025.

• International visitors spend an average of $6,730 per person¹ during their visit, while domestic overnight visitors spend an average of $945 per person².

New South Wales is the most visited state in Australia, with 4.11 million international visitors¹ and 39.2 million domestic overnight trips in 2025².

• Victoria ranked second with 2.83 million international visitors and 31.4 million domestic overnight trips, followed by Queensland (2.37 million international¹, 25.9 million domestic)².
• Western Australia had the fastest growth in international visitors, up 23% to 1.07 million in 2025¹.
• Sydney is the most visited city for international tourists, with 3.82 million visitors in 2025, followed by Melbourne (2.65 million), Brisbane (1.33 million), Perth (1.01 million) and the Gold Coast (682,000)¹.
• Adelaide (404,000), Hobart (235,000), Canberra (199,000) and Darwin (143,000) received fewer international visitors¹.

Holidays are the main reason people visit Australia, accounting for 3.58 million international trips (43%) in 2025¹.

• Visiting friends and relatives was the second most common reason, with 2.78 million trips (34%)¹.
• Business travellers made 758,000 trips, down 3% on 2024, while education trips rose 11% to 540,000¹.
• Education visitors spent $14.48 billion in Australia, more than holidaymakers ($12.92 billion)¹, because students stay much longer.
• Road trips are a big draw for Australians: they took a record 17.3 million caravan and camping trips in 2025, up 14%, and 77% of them were holidays¹².

• International arrivals grew 8% in 2025 to 8.27 million¹, though they remain 5% below the 2019 level.
• In 2024, Australia ranked 5th globally in the World Economic Forum's Travel and Tourism Development Index¹³.
• The country also performed well in terms of revenue, with total visitor spending of $162.42 billion in 2025, which exceeded pre-pandemic levels by 45%.
• Additionally, Australia's tourism sector contributed $81.1 billion to the direct GDP in 2024-25, accounting for 2.9% of the total Australian economy¹¹.

• Summer (December to February) is the most popular time, offering warm weather and numerous outdoor activities. This is ideal for exploring beaches, cities, and many national parks.
• Autumn (March to May) and Spring (September to November) are also good times, with pleasant weather, fewer crowds, and beautiful seasonal changes.
• Winter (June to August) varies significantly across the continent – ideal for tropical regions like Queensland, while southern areas experience cooler temperatures.

When is the best time to visit the Great Barrier Reef?

The dry season (May to October) brings the best diving and snorkelling conditions, with the clearest water from June to August. See Great Barrier Reef tourism statistics for visitor numbers.

• Sydney Opera House, New South Wales: The Sydney Opera House attracts about 10.9 million visitors annually¹⁵ and staged 1,832 performances in 2024–25¹⁶.
• Great Ocean Road, Victoria: The Twelve Apostles alone draw around 2.8 million visitors a year¹⁷.
• Bondi Beach, New South Wales: About 2.9 million domestic overnight and international visitors went to Bondi Beach in 2025¹⁸.
• Great Barrier Reef, Queensland: The world’s largest coral reef system received about 2.38 million visitors in 2025¹⁹, drawn by diving, snorkelling and its marine life.
• Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Northern Territory: Home to Uluru and Kata Tjuta, this UNESCO World Heritage site received about 267,000 visitors in 2024–25²⁰. It is recognised for its cultural and spiritual significance.
• Rottnest Island, Western Australia: The island is one of Western Australia’s best-known day trips, with many drawn by its beaches and unique wildlife, including the quokka.