PA/25/15 15 December 2015
INDIAN VISITORS HIT RECORD NUMBERS
Indian visitors travelling to Australia has hit an all-time record, with almost 230,000 arrivals in the year to September 2015 – an almost 20 per cent increase on the same period last year.
The Australian High Commissioner to India, Patrick Suckling, said the strong people-to-people links between Australia and India had boosted the numbers of Indians holidaying in Australia.
“I’m delighted that this year has seen the highest-ever number of Indian visitors to Australia,” Mr Suckling said. “Indians are visiting friends and family, but also making the journey to enjoy Australia’s beautiful beaches, unique wildlife and iconic landmarks such as the Great Barrier Reef.”
Indian travellers also believe Australia’s food and wine is a stand-out, rating our cuisine the best in the world. It is one of the top five Australian attractions for Indian holidaymakers.
“That may be the MasterChef effect, but we’re pleased the show offers a unique platform to showcase Australia’s incredible, diverse cuisine,” Mr Suckling said.
India is the eighth-largest market for visitors to Australia. The number of Indian travellers has been growing steadily over the past decade – from 55,600 in 2004 to 197,000 in 2014.
Indian visitors contributed AUD 1 billion to the Australian economy last financial year and, on average, stayed in Australia for more than two months.
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