The table illustrates the number of Australian tourists travelling to the seven most well-visited destinations in 1999 and 2009.
Overall, all destinations witnessed an upward trend in tourist numbers over the period. New Zealand was the leading country, recording the highest number of visits, while the fastest growth rate was observed in China.
New Zealand exhibited the largest number of tourists with an increase of 113%, expanding from 500,000 individuals in 1999 to just over 1.06 million in 2009, more than doubling its 1999 figure. The United Kingdom followed as the second most popular destination, with visitor numbers climbing from 400,000 in 1999 to 640,000 in 2009, which marks a 60% increase. The United States also saw steady growth, with Australian visitors increasing by 33%, from 300,000 to 400,000 tourists over the same period.
Conversely, the most pronounced change was observed in China, where the figure soared three and a half times from 86,000 tourists in 1999 to 300,000 in 2009, making it the fastest growth rate, with a 249% increase. Japan also experienced significant growth, ranking second with a 150% increase (100,000-250,000). Notably, Indonesia and Fiji continued to occupy third place with tourist numbers in 2009 being twice as many as in 1999, rising from 150,000 to 340,000 and 120,000 to 257,000, respectively.