The number of tourists visiting Australia’s iconic Outback destinations – such as Uluru and Kakadu – has fallen off a proverbial cliff.
New figures show there are 40% less visitors to ‘the Rock’ than there were just a decade ago. Visitor numbers to Kakadu have plummeted 11% this financial year. Uluru visitor numbers are down 19%.
While domestic tourism is sluggish, it is the high dollar which has been frightening away our traditional overseas visitors that has been the main culprit. National parks chief Peter Cochrane told the senate estimates committee that while there were now growing numbers of Chinese and Indian tourists, they were visiting the cities rather than getting out bush.
“We continue to suffer both in visitor numbers and revenue from a general decline in visitation across Australia, particularly in remote areas,” Mr Cochrane said.
More than half a million Chinese tourists visited Australia during the 12 months to January, according to Tourism Australia figures. The recent extended wet seasons were among the other reasons cited for the dramatic falls in tourism numbers. Federal Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham said the slide in visitors to Uluru reflected a broader malaise afflicting the Australian tourism industry.
“When icons like Uluru suffer a dramatic drop-off in international visitors … the whole industry feels the impact,” he said.
