Overseas visitor numbers fall

The strong dollar, stale tourist experiences and limited inbound passenger flights have stifled the growth of the $84-billion tourism market.

Figures from the ABS released yesterday show arrival growth for the 12 months to October was 3.6% overall but arrivals from Japan dropped 11.9%, from Hong Kong 5.1% and from Britain 1.1%.

Industry observers say the result is a wake-up call to the industry to invest more in new experiences for tourists, new hotels and attractions. The Federal Government’s target of 3.7% arrival growth for 2007 is unlikely to met.