Tourism Australia (TA) announced that Japanese travelers to Australia in 2016 increased by 22.7% year on year to 413,800, the first over 400,000 since 2008 and the first 20% or higher growth rate since 1990.
Mainly boosted by extension of air network between Japan and Australia since August 2015 and the TA’s effective promotional campaign starting in September 2016, Japanese travelers resulted in year-on-year growths for 16 months in a row since September 2015.
TA has forecasted that the growth trend will continue in 2017 as well. TA and Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) are working together for a joint mid-term goal of 700,000 Japanese travelers to Australia by 2020.
