Australia travellers heading to the United States in 2024 continued to push above their weight in terms of spend and stay, with numbers up 7.4% year-on-year to 1.025 million, according to Visit USA Organisation.
Speaking in Chicago last night at an opening event for IPW 2025, hosted for Aussie and Kiwi travel advisors, partners and media (including LATTE), Caroline Davidson, President of Visit USA Organisation, Australia, said Aussie interest in travelling to the United States “remains strong”.
Australia was ranked as the 11th largest source market for visitors to the US last year. In 2023, Australia was a top 10 source. Visit USA acknowledged, that following two years of significant growth from this market, the number of Aussies entering the United States last year was marginally lower to the forecasted 1.09 million – flagged around 12 months ago.
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Davidson said the Australian market continues to show resilience, despite the current climate and “challenges”.
She said in an “ever changing landscape” Visit USA Organisation Australia “remains stedfast in our support helping trade partners navigate these challenges and keep the demand for the US flowing.”
“While recent months have brought periods of uncertainty, driven by shifting policies, currency fluctuations and our recent federal election, we see signs of resilience in outbound travel to the USA. We expect a timely return to previous momentum in the coming months,” Davidson said.
“I’m pleased to say our market is showing characteristic resilience, the US international trade and Administration recently reported an 8% year-on-year growth in arrivals from Australia this last April at a time when many markets are softening.”
The National Travel and Tourism Office for the US has now forecast a return to pre-COVID levels of 2019 by 2027.
“When Australians find a good thing, they stick to it and keep coming back. Eighty percent of Australian visitors are repeat visitors,” Davidson said.
“Our growth is strongly supported by increasing air capacity, with new and expanded routes from United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta and Fiji Airways, making the US even more accessible for Australian and New Zealand travellers.”
Those new routes include Fiji Airways’ South Central access from Nadi into Dallas Fort Worth, United Airlines’ new non-stop San Francisco-Adelaide service, along with new flight options from United, American and Delta non-stop to Brisbane.
“At Visit USA Australia, we remain committed advocates for travel to the USA. That is our mission, and it is to support, educate and inspire the Australian travel industry, cutting through the media noise, providing clear, factual updates and helping agents keep the bookings flowing.”
Corey Marshall, Visit USA Committee, Chairman for New Zealand used the event at City Winery Chicago to encourage ANZ delegates to take advantage, and raise awareness to their clients, of the MPC (Mobile Passport Control), which fast tracks the US Customs arrival process for foreign travellers. (Note: LATTE can attest to this firsthand, passing through LA customs on Friday morning – from disembarking the aircraft to the luggage carousel – in less than 20 minutes.) Learn more on the MPC here.
This year’s IPW event in Chicago sees the largest-ever ANZ delegation, with some 30 Buyers from Australia and 8 from New Zealand.
Lead image: Visit USA Organisation Australia’s Aida Oster Hall, Secretariat and Event Director and Caroline Davidson, President, with Corey Marshall, Visit USA Committee New Zealand (Image: LATTE)
