International tourism to Australia has increased by 7.9 per cent since in the last 12 months, according to a report by Tourism Australia, with Port Douglas set to benefit from the higher visitor numbers.

The recently-released agency’s quarterly market update release showed that 6.6 million short-term visitors came to Australia’s shores in the 12 months leading up to 30 June this year. 

The report also showed that international visitors spent about $29.6 billion in that period, a six per cent increase from last year. 

Record numbers of visitors from New Zealand, Germany, the United States and Malaysia were recorded in the 12-month period.

The new figures continue a trend of steadily increasing growth in international visitation and tourism spending in Australia, with Chinese visitors alone spending upwards of $5 billion in the last 12 months. 

Asian countries are still the main source of tourism growth as their populations continue to develop in affluence, representing 47 per cent of total expenditure and contributing 47 per cent of growth in the last 12 months. 

Tourism Australia also reported a ‘general softening’ of business event visitation to Australia but Tourism Port Douglas and Daintree executive officer Tara Bennett said Port Douglas was ‘bucking that trend’. 

“Our business event market is remaining very strong, which is good to see in the face of this national data,” she said. 

Ms Bennet said report was good news for Port Douglas’s tourism-based economy, with about 35-40 per cent of visitors coming from overseas.

“It’s very, very positive,” she said.

“Even a six per cent increase is very positive for the region and very good news for our operators. 

“We’re pleased to see growth in our key markets of New Zealand, USA and Germany, particularly Germany - they get six weeks annual leave and they’re very adventurous,so they spend a long time here and try a lot of different activities.”