Domestic tourism July 2021
COVID-19 continues to affect Australia’s domestic tourism market. Results declined in July 2021 after months of gradual recovery in domestic travel.
A rise in COVID-19 Delta variant clusters led to widespread lockdowns and border restrictions expanding across the country. These included increased restrictions in Greater Sydney. Statewide lockdowns in Victoria and South Australia followed later in the month.
In July 2021:
- Overnight spend was down 43% or $3.1 billion on July 2019.
- Spend declined most in the Australian Capital Territory (down 81%), New South Wales (down 77%), Victoria (down 49%) and South Australia (down 46%).
- Interstate travel was more affected than intrastate travel due to border closures. Interstate overnight trips were down 75% on July 2019. Spend was down 61% ($2.5 billion) to $1.7 billion.
- Intrastate overnight trips were down a lesser 36% on July 2019. Spend was down 18% ($539 million) to $2.4 billion.
- Intrastate overnight trips contributed 60% to total spend. This was up from 41% in July 2019.
Results for August and September are likely to worsen as the COVID-19 outbreak continues to spread.
Overnight trips and spend
In July 2021, Australians:
- took 4.9 million overnight trips
- spent $4.1 billion
- stayed 22.7 million nights.
Compared to pre-COVID July 2019, this was a:
- 49% fall in overnight trips
- 43% fall in spend
- 38% fall in nights stayed.
Domestic day trips
Australians took 9.8 million day trips and spent $1.0 billion in July 2021.
Compared to pre-COVID July 2019, this was a:
- 55% fall in day trips
- 56% fall in spend.
Hover over the bars of the relevant state or territory to show total figures.
Hover on the line over the relevant month to show total figures.
Hover on the line over the relevant month to show total figures.
The trip rate for October 2021 tells us 12.48% of NVS respondents interviewed in weeks 1 and 2 reported taking one or more overnight trips in the preceding 28 days (the reference period). The return date will have been in September for some of these trips.
The trip estimate of 4.9 million for the month of July refers to overnight trips returned from in that month.
Regional and capital city visitors and spend
Regional areas continue to fare better than capital cities.
Capital cities
In July 2021, Australians:
- took 1.4 million overnight trips to capital cities
- spent $1.2 billion.
Compared to pre-COVID July 2019, this was a:
- 67% fall in overnight trips
- 66% fall in spend.
Regional areas
In contrast, Australians:
- took 3.8 million overnight trips to regional areas
- spent $2.9 billion.
Compared to pre-COVID July 2019, this was a:
- 38% fall in overnight trips
- 22% fall in spend.
National Visitor Survey results monthly data tables
NVS results monthly data tables
Monthly data for overnight and day travel by state and territory
https://www.tra.gov.au/ArticleDocuments/185/NVS_Monthly_Domestic_Overnight_July_2021.xlsx.aspx
Monthly data for overnight and day travel by state and territory as compared to June 2019
https://www.tra.gov.au/ArticleDocuments/185/NVS_Monthly_Domestic_Overnight_July_2021_2019_comparison.xlsx.aspx
Contact us
Email tourism.research@tra.gov.au