U.S. Travel Market Welcomes Robust Growth from Australia: Visit USA Mid-Year Market Review Highlights

Visit USA

Visit USA Australia hosted its Mid-Year Market Review yesterday at the W Sydney, bringing together industry leaders and partners for a comprehensive overview of recent U.S. travel data. With insights from special guest David Huether, Deputy Director of Research at the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO), the event highlighted the latest tools and data resources offered by the NTTO, and the U.S. Commercial Service presented the latest travel data. This was the first time the NTTO has presented to any organisation outside the U.S.; a coup for Visit USA Australia.

“We are thrilled to have David Huether join us for our Mid-Year Market Review. David's insights and expertise are crucial in shaping our strategies for effectively promoting U.S. tourism. The NTTO's tools are an invaluable resource for our members", said Caroline Davidson, President of Visit USA Australia.

Australian Travel Market to the U.S. in 2023

Australia ranks as the 10th largest inbound market to the U.S. In 2023, 954,000 Australians travelled to the U.S., a 48.7% increase from 2022. A further 23.7% increase is forecast for 2024.

Australians represent the 4th largest growth rate among the top 10 inbound markets, with over 90% travelling for leisure. Business and conference travel account for 6%, and 80% are repeat travellers. On average, Australians spend 17 nights in the U.S. Additionally, 30% of Australian visitors rent a car during their stay.

The review also included an analysis of travel activities and main ports of entry for U.S. travellers. In 2023, Los Angeles remained the leading port of entry, accounting for 37% of all entries into the U.S., Honolulu followed with 16%, while San Francisco accounted for 12%. New York and Dallas each saw a 6% share of entries, and Houston joined the list with 2%.

Key travel activities for 2023 included sightseeing (90%), shopping (88.8%), and visits to national parks and monuments (52.3%).

Caroline Davidson emphasised the importance of the Australian market in the context of global tourism trends, "Australia's position as a vital market for the U.S. travel industry continues to strengthen, driven by a combination of leisure travel, repeat visitors, and the increasing ease of travel between our two countries," Davidson said. "Our focus remains on fostering this growth and ensuring that the U.S. remains a top destination for Australian travellers."

Visit USA continues to bring together more than 130 U.S. travel businesses to collaborate and partner on growing U.S. tourism from Australia.

The Mid-Year Market Review was supported by the New York State Division of Tourism, and Visit USA extends its gratitude to its event sponsor, partners and attendees for their continued support in advancing U.S. tourism initiatives in Australia.