Domestic travel spend continues to improve
June domestic snapshot shows cities and regions slowly recovering, with spending up but overnight trips still below 2019 levels
New figures released by Tourism Research Australia (TRA) show domestic travel has continued to improve after a COVID-impacted 2020 and 2021 with data released for June 2022 showing overnight spending increased by 22 percent to reach $7.5 billion.
However, while spending was up, overnight trips for the month dropped by 14 percent to 8.4 million, overnight trips dropped 14 percent to 8.4 million (down 14 percent on 2019) and nights spent on a trip dropping to 29 million (down by 8 percent).
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But compared to June 2019, the figures are still favourable with the increase in length of overnight trips rising by 8 percent on average and spending on accommodation, for and beverage, shopping and petrol increasing across the board.
The highest increases in spending were seen in Queensland (up 59 percent or $808 million), Tasmania (up 54 percent or $100 million) and the ACT (up 22 percent or $38 million.
July and August 2021 were heavily affected by COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions. In comparison, early data shows domestic overnight trip rates for July 2022 and the first three weeks of August were significantly up.
June 2022 saw strong results for interstate travel continue. While overnight trips were down (11 percent or 3.1 million), overnight spend was up by 20 percent.
Results for Australia’s capital cities continued to improve in June 2022 when compared to pre-pandemic levels with overnight trips reaching the 3.5 million mark, in the process netting $3.7 billion.
When compared to June 2021, this represented a 55 percent increase in overnight trips and a 77 percent increase in spend.
Regional areas continued to perform well across the month with Australians taking 5.3 million overnight trips to regional areas (up 23 percent) and spending $3.8 billion (up 29 percent).
Mike Parker-Brown is a UK-trained and qualified journalist and an award-winning travel communicator with more than 30 years experience.
Since 2002, Mike has worked as a freelance writer and PR consultant providing his services to major organisations in Australia and internationally in the tourism, aviation, hospitality, recruitment and export marketing sectors.
