The table compares the number of Australians who visited the seven most popular destinations in 1999 and 2009, together with the growth rate over the period.
Overall, all destinations experienced an increase in Australian visitors between 1999 and 2009. New Zealand and United Kingdom were the most popular destinations in both years, while China recorded the fastest growth despite starting from the lowest place.
In 1999, New Zealand attracted the largest number of Australian visitors at 500 thousand, followed by United Kingdom with 400 thousand and the United States with 300 thousand. By 2009, these figures had risen to approximately 1.06 million for New Zealand, 640000 for the UK and 400000 for the US. Although the US saw a smaller rise in a comparison with other countries, it still recorded a moderate growth rate of 33%.
The remaining destinations showed particularly strong growth. Visitor numbers to Indonesia more than doubled, increasing from 150000 to 340000. Fiji and Japan also experienced substantial rises, reaching 257000 and 250000 respectively in 2009. China showed the most dramatic change, with Australian visitors increasing from just 86000 to 300000, showing a growth rate of 249%.
In summary, while traditional destinations remained the most popular, developing Asian destinations grew at a much faster pace.