Why are people coming Down Under? Pete Wargent
The significant depreciation of the Aussie dollar has encouraged a record 7.2 million short-term visitors to Australia over the past year.
But why are people coming?
The main reason is for holidays (3.24 million), and ever more so from China and its provinces.
Increasingly, though, folk are also coming to Australia to visit their friends, families and relatives, with more than 2 million people falling into this category.
The other huge growth area is for education, with a smashing 451,000 education arrivals in the past year, a massive annual increase of well over 17%.
PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of AllenWargent property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and blogger.
His latest book is Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel.