AUSTRALIA is now the fourth most valuable source market for Britain, rising up the ranks from fifth place in 2019, according to the latest official visitor statistics from VisitBritain.
Last year, Aussies racked up record spend in the United Kingdom, doling out an average of £1,547 per visit, up by more than 40% from £1,104 per trip in 2019 and nearly double the global average of £848 per visit.
Travellers from Down Under are also staying in the UK for longer, with the average length of stay increasing from 13 nights per visit in 2019 to 17 nights in 2022 – over twice as long as the average global visitor.
Australia’s growing appetite for travel in Britain has seen travellers venture outside of London to explore the rest of what Britain has to offer, with key regional destinations spanning South East England and Northern England, including Manchester, Newcastle and Scotland, and more than half of visits in 2022 took place outside of Britain’s July to September peak summer season.
“Our priority has been to rebuild international visitor value so it’s very encouraging to see the pace of Australia’s recovery in spend contributing to Britain’s global recovery, supporting jobs, small businesses and local economies,” VisitBritain Executive Vice President for The Americas, Australia & New Zealand, Paul Gauger, said.
VisitBritain revealed plans to capitalise on Australian travellers’ ever-increasing love for Britain by rolling out the global ‘See Things Differently’ campaign in 2023/24, which showcases Britain as “a dynamic, diverse and exciting destination”.
Gauger explained, “together with our dedicated travel trade partners, we will continue to build demand, convert inspiration into bookings and invite travellers to ‘Come See Things Differently’ in Britain in 2023”.
