Tourism consumption of accommodation and food services in Australia increased by AU$8 billion (19%) in 2022-23 compared to 2018-19, according to new data from the National Tourism Satellite Account.
Total tourism consumption for the financial year was AU$164.5 billion up $68.6 billion (or 72%) on the previous year, and up by AU$12.1 billion (8%) on the pre-pandemic level in 2018-19.
The recovery was driven by consumption by domestic households, up 27% in 2022-23 than it was pre-pandemic (in 2018-19), while that of the domestic business/government sector was 7% higher in 2022-23 than pre-pandemic.
However, tourism consumption by international visitors was 34% lower in 2022-23 than it was prior to the pandemic.
The results show a 77% increase in tourism GDP, which rose from AU$35.6 billion in 2021-22 to AU$63 billion in 2022-23 in current price terms, with tourism GDP as a share of the national economy increasing from 1.5% in 2021-22, to 2.5% in 2022-23.
Tourism filled jobs increased by 42% from 442,600 in 2021-22 to 626,400 in 2022-23 – which is 11% or 74,500 fewer jobs than in 2018-19.
Tourism’s share of total filled jobs in the economy increased from 3.1% in 2021-22, to 4.1% in 2022-23 (1 in 24 jobs).
Tourism’s share of total filled jobs increased from 3.1% in 2021-22, to 4.1% in 2022-23, which equate to 1 in 24 jobs.