NEW TOURIST FIGURES SHOW STRONG START FOR 2001

New figures released today show a 18 per cent increase in visitor arrivals for January 2001, signalling a strong start for the year, Australian Tourist Commission (ATC) Deputy Managing Director, Bill Calderwood said today.

Speaking following the release of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Overseas Arrivals and Departure January 2001 preliminary figures, Mr Calderwood said the figures augured well for a strong first half of 2001.

"Australia is off to a good start for the year," he said. " The figures show 425,900 international visitor arrivals during January 2001, up by 18 per cent compared to January 2000.

"This is the start for 2001 which the industry needed and our feedback from tourism operators worldwide suggests that this growth in international visitors will continue over the next six months.

"A combination of Olympic Games exposure, aggressive marketing campaigns and competitive airfares and holiday packages on offer around the globe is paying dividends for Australia. In addition, the Chinese New Year holiday period, in January this year, has driven sharp increases in visitor arrivals from a number of Asian countries.

"While these figures are pleasing for the industry, particularly from Asia it is important to recognise that Y2K and millennium celebrations last year could have played a role in travel to Australia in January 2000. In addition, the Chinese New Year holiday celebrations were in February last year.

"If all goes to plan, 2001 will be a record breaking year for Australia's inbound industry in terms of visitor arrivals and spending.

"Increases in visitors from Japan, United States and the UK combined with strong growth from Asia and New Zealand has resulted in strong growth. At the same time, Australia's emerging markets such as China continue to deliver record visitor arrivals."

Mr Calderwood said the Chinese New Year holiday, which this year occurred in January has driven a 33.2 per cent increase in visitor arrivals from Asia.

"Visitor arrivals from China were up a massive 147 per cent in January 2001 compared to January last year as a result of the Chinese New Year holiday period this year falling in January, not February as it did in 2000," Mr Calderwood said.

"The figures show that Australia continues to be a popular destination for holidaying during the Chinese New Year period with visitor arrivals increasing from Singapore (up 73.1%) and Malaysia (up 30.3%).


Mr Calderwood said visitor arrivals for Japan had continued to grow during January with 60,600 visitors, an increase on 20.5 per cent compared to the same time last year.

"The strong increases from Japan continues the encouraging signs of the return to growth from this important market," he said.

"The figures also show strong growth from Europe with 113,400 visitors during January 2001, an increase of 12.5 per cent compared to January 2000 . Visitor arrivals from the United Kingdom continued to climb with 58,200 visitors in January 2001, an increase of 25.4 per cent compared to the same time last year.

"The figures also show visitor arrivals from New Zealand, Australia's number one market continuing to grow with 54,700 arrivals in January 2001, up 14.4 per cent compared to January 2000.

"North America has also begun the year well, with increases in visitor arrivals from the United States (up 4.6 per cent) and Canada (up 18.3 per cent)."