Growing Australia’s international visitor markets

Austrade is helping Australia’s visitor economy to diversify.

Austrade is helping build resilience in Australia’s visitor economy by supporting efforts to attract and service increased leisure, business and education visitation from Southeast Asia and India. 

Welcoming more visitors from these growing markets, while acknowledging the value of Australians travelling abroad to supporting increased air access and strengthened bilateral partnerships, is central to the visitor economy’s future success. Australia’s long-term visitor economy strategy, THRIVE 2030, recognises this. 

How Austrade is helping 

Austrade supports efforts to build international visitor markets in several ways. 

It leads work on: 

  • the International diversification strategy for the visitor economy  
  • strengthening tourism ties with emerging markets, including in Southeast Asia. 

It puts into practice tourism actions outlined in the Australian Government's: 

It provides advice on and supports:

  • Tourism Australia’s destination marketing and distribution development efforts in key markets
  • increasing and sustaining new air routes to Australia
  • streamlining visa processes and building industry capability to increase market access.

International diversification of the visitor economy 

Diversification is a pillar of Australia’s visitor economy strategy, THRIVE 2030.     

THRIVE 2030 aims to:   

  • sustainably grow the tourism sector to $230 billion in annual visitor spend by 2030    
  • improve the sector’s resilience.   

To support this, we are leading development of an international diversification strategy for the visitor economy.     

International diversification in the visitor economy means attracting visitors from more overseas markets and market segments. Using targeted approaches to create a broad portfolio of source markets will build a more resilient visitor economy.     

We have worked with the sector on the strategy. In 2023, Austrade released a discussion paper to guide stakeholder feedback. A consultation period involving roundtables, submissions and surveys led to these findings.    

Strengthening tourism ties with Vietnam 

Strengthening tourism cooperation is a core component of the upgraded Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Australia and Vietnam. The two-way flow of visitors between the countries has already been increasing. Australia is now Vietnam's 7th largest source market for visitors and Vietnam has been Australia's highest growth visitor market in the recovery period. 

The governments have an Australia – Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy

As part of this strategy, Austrade has cooperated with the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism and industry on the Strengthening Australia – Vietnam Tourism Cooperation (SAVTC) Project.  

Actions funded and delivered under the SAVTC Project aim to increase industry awareness of the opportunities of and barriers to increased two-way visitation. These include: 

Invested in tourism: Australia’s Southeast Asia  Economic Strategy to 2040

Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040 aims to create greater trade and investment with Southeast Asia. This national strategy lists the visitor economy as a priority sector for ties with Southeast Asia.  

Austrade is working with Tourism Australia to implement Recommendations 56 to 58 of the strategy.  

These recommendations are: 

  • to expand tourism promotion and build industry capability to meet Southeast Asian demand 
  • to identify opportunities to help build visitor economy data capability in key tourism authorities in the region 
  • for government tourism agencies to partner with industry to expand industry-led capability initiatives for operators and employees.

Greater tourism engagement with India 

India is Australia’s 5th largest market for overseas arrivals. Yet the Indian visitor market has major untapped potential.  

In 2024, the Australian Government began developing A New Roadmap for Australia’s Economic Engagement with India. Tourism will be a key part of the roadmap.  

Related work

Austrade also works to bring international tourists to Australia through its management of the China Approved Destination Status Scheme.

Learn more

Developing an International strategy for the visitor economy is Priority 6.3 of THRIVE 2030, Australia’s long-term visitor economy strategy. The goal is to identify emerging markets for travel and education, among other actions. 

Read more about THRIVE 2030