【Text by Observer Net, Deng Jun; Editor by Zhao Qiankun】

Australia's long-awaited milestone in inbound tourism has already appeared.

Recently, the Australian Tourism Office cited the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), indicating that the number of international tourists to Australia rose from 8.1 million to 8.6 million over the past year ending September 2025, showing a strong recovery in the international tourism market. In September 2025, the number of short-term inbound tourists reached 696,500, an increase of 10.4% compared to the same period in 2024 and a slight increase of 0.2% compared to the same period in 2019, marking the first time that the number of international tourists to Australia exceeded pre-pandemic levels for the same period.

Data on the source markets in September showed that New Zealand remained the largest source country, with more than 135,000 visitors. Next were China (83,000) and the UK (approximately 47,000).

According to the official website of the New South Wales Tourism Office, as of now, the international passenger throughput at Sydney Airport has reached 12.55 million, and it is expected that the total for 2025 will break the historical high record.

The tourism service website "TTR Weekly" quoted the Australian Tourism Office's view: "Overall, the data for September is very encouraging, as we are about to enter the summer season, which has always been the peak season for tourism across the country."

The ABS statistics also revealed that during the period from September 2024 to August 2025, Chinese tourists to Australia reached 981,400, an increase of 16% year-on-year, becoming the fastest-growing international tourist market in Australia. Particularly noteworthy is that the year-on-year growth rate in August 2025 alone reached as high as 26%, demonstrating strong market growth momentum.

The Australian Tourism Office stated that the travel style of Chinese tourists has shifted from simple city sightseeing to in-depth tours across various regions of Australia.

According to a relevant official from the Australian Tourism Office, Chinese tourists are increasingly exploring areas outside the cities, including renting cars to reach remote areas, even for first-time visitors to Australia. At the same time, with the expansion of the young tourist group aged over 20, they prefer adventure tourism activities such as mountain climbing, diving, and hiking, which has led to longer stays in Australia compared to previous times.

The New South Wales Tourism Office stated that this state is the most concentrated area for Chinese tourists - data from an Australian tourism research institution shows that in the year ending March 2025, the state ranked first in Australia in terms of the number of Chinese tourists received, the number of overnight stays, and the amount of tourism spending, receiving a total of 493,600 Chinese tourists (an increase of 30.8%), accumulating 19.1 million overnight stays (an increase of 16.8%), and tourism spending of approximately 30.59 billion yuan (an increase of 33.3%).

The international tourism media "Travel And Tour World" analyzed that the continued recovery of Australia's inbound tourism is due to the simultaneous growth of mature markets and emerging markets. Among them, the number of Chinese and British tourists increased by 15.4% and 12.4%, respectively. The growth momentum mainly comes from demand for vacations, business trips, and visiting relatives and friends. Many tourists are attracted by the local natural scenery, vibrant cities, and unique culture.

At the recent 2025 Australian Tourism Office China Regional Travel Industry Conference, Robin Mack, the acting director and CEO of the Australian Tourism Office, emphasized: "China has always been one of Australia's most important international tourism markets. As the second-largest source country, we are confident in the huge potential and sustained vitality of China. We will continue to deepen cooperation with Chinese travel industry partners, deeply understand changes in the needs of Chinese consumers, and create more diverse and in-depth tourism products and experiences tailored for Chinese tourists."

In addition, the continuous recovery of air capacity has also provided support for market growth. Currently, the number of weekly flights on the China-Australia route has reached 117. To cope with the upcoming peak season, several airlines are actively increasing their capacity, providing more convenient and flexible travel options for Chinese tourists traveling to Australia.

For example, China Eastern Airlines will add seasonal direct flights from Shanghai to Perth, China Southern Airlines will add seasonal direct flights from Guangzhou to Perth and Adelaide, and will also launch a direct flight from Guangzhou to Darwin.

Nick Henderson, General Manager of the Australian Tourism Office for the Greater China Region, said: "As tourism demand continues to be released and the market environment continues to improve, we are working with travel industry partners to jointly enhance the quality of tourism experiences. The sunny summer in Australia coincides with the peak season for Chinese outbound travel during the Spring Festival. We sincerely invite more Chinese tourists to experience the unique natural and cultural landscapes, taste authentic cuisine, and feel the leisurely 'Australian' lifestyle, creating unforgettable travel memories. We look forward to Australia continuing to be a popular destination for Chinese tourists' long-distance outbound trips during the Spring Festival."

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