Andrew Barr is celebrating a rise in international visitation to our fair city:
The number of international visitors coming to Canberra continues to rise strongly, according to new figures issued by Tourism Research Australia.
For the year ending June 2013, the ACT recorded a 10.4 per cent annual increase in international visitation.
The ACT’s result compares with a 5.1 per cent increase nationally over the same period.
Tourism Research Australia’s International Visitor Survey (IVS) has revealed Canberra’s highest year ending June figure since 2001, with 180,380 international visitors recorded for 2012-13, up from 163,375 in 2011-12.
It is estimated that international visitors to Canberra spent $376 million in the city, an increase of $30 million on the previous year.
The research by Tourism Research Australia also revealed:
— The ACT’s market share of international visitors was 3.1% in the year ending June 2013, up from 3.0% for the year ending June 2012;
— International visitors to Canberra stayed for a total of 4.77 million nights in the year ending June 2013, up 13.3% from the year ending June 2012 (4.21 million); and
— The first 6 months of Canberra’s Centenary year has seen international visitor numbers increase by 22.9% compared to the same period last year.