About international education tourism
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About international education tourism
Students travelling on a temporary education visa for the purposes of studying in Australia are considered international education visitors.
The education tourism market is a very important to Australia's economy. The number of international education tourists coming to study in Australia (as measured by the Australian Bureau of Statistics) increased from 201 600 in 2000–01 to 374 100 in 2010–11, representing an average annual growth rate of 6.4 per cent over this period.
The Tourism Research Australia International Visitor Survey identifies international education as one of Australia's biggest overseas tourism earners with students spending around $6.5 billion in Australia during 2010–11. The average expenditure by international education visitors in Australia in 2010–11 was $15 213, which is much higher than the average expenditure of $2329 per visitor for other international tourists.
During 2010–11, more than $1 in every $3 spent by an international visitor in Australia was by an international student. One international student will spend an average of $110 per night in Australia compared to the $90 average expenditure per night for other international tourists.
The long-term outlook for the international education sector is also strong. According to the Tourism Forecasting Committee (TFC), visitor forecasts for the combined international education and employment are projected to increase by an average annual rate of 4.6 per cent over the 2010–2020 period. This figure is much higher than the forecasted 3.2 per cent average annual growth rate for all international visitors over the same period.
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For more information about international education tourism, contact the Tourism division on (02) 6213 6542.