Melbourne visitors bring the big bucks

Melbourne visitors bring the big bucks

Tourism Victoria has released its 2012-13 Tourist Satellite Accounts, with Melbourne tourism showing serious clout.

Measuring the direct and indirect impacts of tourism on the local economy, the report showed visitors contributed a whopping $13.8 billion in direct visitor consumption to Melbourne’s money box in the 2012-13 financial year.

In total Gross Regional Product (GRP), tourism was responsible for $8.5 billion, which was an increase of 4.5% on the same period in 2011-12.

The visitor industry employed just shy of 94,000 people during the period, a boost of 2.2% compared to the year before.

“The visitor economy is a key contributor to Melbourne’s economic wellbeing, where businesses large and small benefit from visitor spending, whether it’s for leisure, business or visiting friends and relatives,” Destination Melbourne’s chief executive Laura Cavallo said.

“This Satellite Account confirms the visitor economy is one to watch, as it increases year on year, becoming one of Australia’s five super growth sectors. Already 2015 has started positively, with Melbourne Airport breaking its record number of international passenger numbers for the month of January.”

During the 2012-13 year, international overnight visitors were the highest contributors to Melbourne’s economy, racking up a bill of $5.8 billion, while interstate overnighters poured $4.5 billion into the kitty, and intrastate sleepovers brought in $2.1 billion.

Since 2006, the total tourism GRP in Melbourne has increased at a stellar rate of 5.6%, while the average rate for total tourism employment over the same period has increased by 3.8% annually.

International visitors may have clocked up the most nights during the year at 41.5 million, but interstate overnight visitors spent the most with an average of $277 a night.

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