Tourism on the up and up: Australia reports record visitors

Figures are up by 6 percent on the previous year and were up 8 percent during the seven months to July 2005.

Statistically, figures from the Gulf were even more impressive.

"Over the past twelve months ending June 30th, 2005, Australia has received 35,820 visitors from the GCC countries, a whopping increase of 20 percent cent over the same months in 2004, confirming the growing interest in Australia as one of the hottest destinations for visitors from the region," said Andrew Oldfield, Tourism Australia's recently appointed industry development manager in the GCC region, based in Dubai.

"We consider such growth to be a sure sign that our marketing efforts, combined with the unquestionable appeal of Australia as a repeat tourist destination from the Gulf, have been effective," he said, adding that efforts this past year to make visa issuance smoother and more simple for the GCC visitor have also contributed to the overall success of the campaigns.

Oldfield credits the diversity of Australia and the ease of vacationing there as one of the biggest factors in the steady increase in tourism from the region every year. "A family may choose to get to know the exciting cities of Sydney and Melbourne one year, spend a relaxing time on the Gold Coast in Queensland the next and then come back to explore Perth or the Great Barrier reef and the rainforests in Northern Queensland some other time," he said. "And they do come back," he added. For the GCC visitor, he explained, the appeal of the Aboriginal experience has yet to take off but for the younger crowds, adventure tourism is on the up and up.

For now, however, the majority of incoming travellers are lured by the Australian attractions of good weather, good value for money, abundant attractions for all family members and the charm of the Australian people themselves. Notably, the huge boost in routes and airlines flying into several Australian cities from the GCC has augmented interest in the destination.

So watch this space as they say, for Australia predicts that by 2014, the value of inbound tourism will grow to AU$ 32 billion. A figure that speaks for itself, even in Aussie dollars.