Year ending September 2023

The International Visitor Survey (IVS) results provide statistics on how international visitors travel within Australia. You can find national, state and territory results for the:

  • number of trips taken
  • nights spent on a trip
  • amount spent in Australia
  • total amount spent on a trip.

You can also:

  • read about the factors influencing international travel to Australia
  • see the changes compared over different time frames impacted by COVID-19
  • read about the return of international visitors to Australia.


Annual snapshot


Spend in Australia

$25.7 billion | 82% of September 2019 levels


Number of trips

6.1 million | 71% of September 2019 levels


Nights spent in Australia

220.8 million | 80% of September 2019 levels


Total spend

$39.7 billion | 88% of September 2019 levels (includes spend outside Australia)


Quarterly snapshot


Spend in Australia

$7.8 billion 97% of September 2019 levels


Number of trips

1.7 million 80% of September 2019 levels


Nights spent in Australia

61.4 million 88% of September 2019 levels


Total spend

$11.3 billion 2% up on September 2019 levels (includes spend outside Australia)

Notes on the data

  • The year ending September 2023 results are drawn from a combination of sample and imputed data. You can find more information about this on the International Visitor Survey methodology page.
  • Unless stated otherwise, the summary results are compared to the following: 
    • the September 2023 quarter to the September quarter 2019
    • the year ending September 2023 to the year ending September 2019.
  • Spend is reported as spend in Australia. Spend in Australia is different to total spend. Total spend includes purchases made overseas such as:
    • international connections and stopovers (including airfares)
    • other pre-travel or post-travel spend in the source market or elsewhere outside Australia on expenses such as luggage, visas, duty-free retail and ground transport. 

International trips and spend key results

International tourism in Australia continues to recover following the COVID-19 pandemic. In the year ending September 2023, there were 6.1 million trips to Australia. 

The top reasons for travel to Australia in the year ending September 2023 were:

  • Visiting friends and relatives with 2.3 million trips. 
    • 90% of September 2019 levels. 
    • Spend in Australia was $4.3 billion, 6% up on September 2019 levels.
  • Holiday travel with 2.3 million trips. 
    • 57% of September 2019 levels. 
    • Spend in Australia was $7.2 billion, 69% of September 2019 levels.
  • Business travel with 681,000 trips. 
    • 68% of September 2019 levels.
    • Spend in Australia was $2.0 billion, 89% of September 2019 levels. 
  • Education with 406,000 trips.
    • This was 69% of September 2019 levels.
    • Spend in Australia was $9.9 billion, 81% of September 2019 levels.

The proportion of trips to Australia for holiday purposes continued to increase from 35% in the year ending June 2023 to 37% in the year ending September 2023. This is the highest proportion since falling to 3% in the year ending March 2021 as a result of international border closures.   

Top 5 international visitor markets

Australia’s top 5 international markets for the year ending September 2023 were:

  • New Zealand with 1.1 million trips.
    • 84% of September 2019 levels. 
    • Spend in Australia was $1.8 billion, 14% up on September 2019 levels. 
  • United States of America with 576,000 trips.
    • 75% of September 2019 levels.
    • Spend in Australia was $1.8 billion, 92% of September 2019 levels.
  • United Kingdom with 553,000 trips.
    • 83% of September 2019 levels. 
    • Spend in Australia was $1.8 billion, on par with September 2019 levels. 
  • China with 387,000 trips.
    • 29% of September 2019 levels. 
    • Spend in Australia was $5.2 billion, 51% of September 2019 levels. 
  • India with 365,000 trips. 
    • On par with September 2019 levels. 
    • Spend in Australia was $1.4 billion, 11% up on September 2019 levels. 

Total spend

Total spend in the year ending September 2023 was $39.7 billion. This was 88% of September 2019 levels. Total spend includes purchases made overseas such as:

  • international connections and stopovers (including airfares) 
  • other pre-travel or post-travel spend in the source market or elsewhere outside Australia on things like luggage, visas, duty-free retail and ground transport.

Data tables

More information

Contact TRA

mail   tourism.research@tra.gov.au