Last year was a good one for Australian tourism.
The latest Tourism Australia data shows we welcomed 8 million visitors in 2024, an increase of close to 30 per cent since the year before! This is a clear indication that we are no longer simply recovering from the pandemic but rather expanding our reach as a desirable destination for holidays, study and short-term work!
From holidaymakers to the ‘VFR’ category (visiting friends and relatives), to business, education, and employment there are a variety of reasons people make their way to our shores.
(Source: Unsplash, by Mitchell Luo)
Almost 2.5 million Tourist Visa Applications were lodged from July to December 2023.
One of our biggest audiences, Chinese visitors, have some interesting hallmarks including high average spend per trip and a big uptick in year-on-year growth, making them an attractive target for marketers. They also overindex in terms of spending across a range of categories including luxury.
Similarly, Indian tourists have their own distinct qualities. VFR is the leading category by far, with Indians visiting their family for extended periods of time – 64 nights on average. With 8.84% growth year on year from this audience, they are certainly one to watch for future-minded marketers.
Looking at where they visit in Australia, it is perhaps no surprise to many that NSW and Victoria welcome the most tourists. The main attractions for tourists include seeing notable buildings (like the Sydney Opera House!), experiencing the culture and exploring nature.
(Source: Unsplash by Photoholgic)
The second largest cohort overall among short-term visitors are those visiting friends and relatives at 34%. As Australia becomes more multicultural, this group will continue to grow. Most will also visit tourist destinations, due to their generally longer stays and wanting to focus on spending time with their loved ones.
To benefit from the ever-growing numbers of visitors, here are four quick tips:
- Take the time to understand your audience. It is crucial for your brand to understand culturally and linguistically diverse audiences and to connect with them meaningfully as soon as they step foot in Australia! Avoid stereotyping your multicultural audiences or making assumptions on what they are looking for. A good way to avoid this is by conducting diversity testing and building a strong rapport with your audience over time!
- Celebrate with your audience. It is important to foster a connection with this audience, so they are more likely to feel comfortable with your business when choosing between the hundreds of brands in Australia. Special cultural moments are a great opportunity to do this! Brands who celebrate cultural holidays will always be viewed more favourably.
- Multicultural audiences crave authenticity. Visitors are increasingly showing more concern over the authenticity and quality of their experiences and are more likely to seek experiences that make them feel like locals. They are willing to spend more for comfort, convenience and authenticity as well as spend on items and experiences that feel uniquely Australian.
- Language matters. Many multicultural audiences are highly language dependent. Creating advertisements in the target audience’s language consistently will drive greater engagement.
(Source: NRMA)
(Source: Luna Park Sydney)
For more information, contact MultiConnexions today.