Australia exceeding tourism growth targets "four years early": tourism minister
Source: Xinhua   2016-09-14 12:05:42

CANBERRA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Australia is exceeding its Tourism 2020 growth targets four years ahead of schedule, the nation's tourism minister revealed on Wednesday.

Steven Ciobo, minister for trade, tourism and investment, released a statement on Wednesday congratulating Tourism Australia for the result, after it was revealed tourists spent nearly 73 billion U.S. dollars in overnight travel over the past months.

"The National Visitor Survey, released today, and the recently released International Visitor Survey, show the tourism industry is now exceeding the Tourism 2020 growth targets," the statement said.

"A joint initiative between industry and government, Tourism 2020 was conceived in 2009 and included a stretch target of reaching between 85 billion U.S. dollars and 105 billion U.S. dollars in overnight visitor spending by the year 2020.

"Forecast linear trend growth at the time was estimated at 72.4 billion U.S. dollars, which, on the figures released today, has been achieved four years early."

Ciobo said an increase on government funding for the tourism industry was not only enticing more international visitors to Australia, but was also encouraging Australian citizens to get out and see a new part of the country.

"Stellar growth in international tourist arrivals has been complemented by strong growth in domestic travel, with the number of overnight trips growing seven percent to a record 88.9 million, and the number of nights spent away increasing five percent to 328 million," Ciobo said.

"Overnight business trips increased to 18.6 million, with spending up 11 percent to a record of 11.6 billion U.S. dollars."

Ciobo said that while major cities Melbourne and Sydney remained the most attractive destinations for tourists, the Northern Territory, with Uluru and its picturesque Kakadu National Park, was a "standout" destination for 2015/16.

"The Northern Territory has been a standout destination for domestic tourists in the last year, with a 36 percent increase in the number of visitors," he said.

"Sydney and Melbourne remain the two most popular destinations, while the North Coast of NSW has jumped to the third most popular destination for domestic tourists, measured by length of stay."

Editor: Zhang Dongmiao
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Australia exceeding tourism growth targets "four years early": tourism minister

Source: Xinhua 2016-09-14 12:05:42
[Editor: huaxia]

CANBERRA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Australia is exceeding its Tourism 2020 growth targets four years ahead of schedule, the nation's tourism minister revealed on Wednesday.

Steven Ciobo, minister for trade, tourism and investment, released a statement on Wednesday congratulating Tourism Australia for the result, after it was revealed tourists spent nearly 73 billion U.S. dollars in overnight travel over the past months.

"The National Visitor Survey, released today, and the recently released International Visitor Survey, show the tourism industry is now exceeding the Tourism 2020 growth targets," the statement said.

"A joint initiative between industry and government, Tourism 2020 was conceived in 2009 and included a stretch target of reaching between 85 billion U.S. dollars and 105 billion U.S. dollars in overnight visitor spending by the year 2020.

"Forecast linear trend growth at the time was estimated at 72.4 billion U.S. dollars, which, on the figures released today, has been achieved four years early."

Ciobo said an increase on government funding for the tourism industry was not only enticing more international visitors to Australia, but was also encouraging Australian citizens to get out and see a new part of the country.

"Stellar growth in international tourist arrivals has been complemented by strong growth in domestic travel, with the number of overnight trips growing seven percent to a record 88.9 million, and the number of nights spent away increasing five percent to 328 million," Ciobo said.

"Overnight business trips increased to 18.6 million, with spending up 11 percent to a record of 11.6 billion U.S. dollars."

Ciobo said that while major cities Melbourne and Sydney remained the most attractive destinations for tourists, the Northern Territory, with Uluru and its picturesque Kakadu National Park, was a "standout" destination for 2015/16.

"The Northern Territory has been a standout destination for domestic tourists in the last year, with a 36 percent increase in the number of visitors," he said.

"Sydney and Melbourne remain the two most popular destinations, while the North Coast of NSW has jumped to the third most popular destination for domestic tourists, measured by length of stay."

[Editor: huaxia]
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