Arrivals from India to Australia grew by 15 per cent for the year ended October 2017, with an influx of 294,000 visitors, compared to the same period last year. This makes India the 9th largest inbound market for Australia, and inches it closer towards achieving its Tourism 2020 goal of 300,000 visitors annually, three years ahead of target. Indian visitor spend in Australia for the year ended September 2017 reached A$1.45 billion (approx. Rs 7,200 Crore), an increase of 26 per cent over the previous year, making India the 8th largest market in terms of spend by tourists.
In mid-2017 the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection extended online lodgment of visitor visa applications to all Indian nationals. The online application process provides a more convenient option for Indians looking to visit Australia. In an age where travellers are increasingly self-reliant in planning and booking holidays, the e-lodgment allows tourists greater independence when planning a trip to Australia and is likely to be a strong catalyst for boosting tourist arrivals from India.
Tania Gerlach, Chief Migration Officer, Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) said, “We are extremely pleased with the success of the e-lodgment process, with over 60 per cent of the total tourist visa applications now received online. The month of November 2017 has witnessed the highest-ever tourist visa lodgments. Online lodgment offers benefits such as 24/7 accessibility, electronic payment of the visa application charge and the ability to check the status of applications lodged online. Processing times for these visas will now be faster, as both applications and supporting documentation are immediately available to the processing office. This is good news for every Indian visitor planning to visit Australia, whether they are travelling for business or pleasure.”
Commenting on the success, Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager, India and Gulf, Tourism Australia said, “It is an extremely proud moment for us to achieve the fastest growing market status in our 50th anniversary year of marketing Australia to the world as a visitor destination. Our focus on content integration initiatives, partnerships with airlines and Aussie specialist agents, and increased digital focus has been the cornerstone for these impressive results. We’d like to thank our trade and aviation partners who have been a part of this incredible journey.”
