The International Visitor Survey for the September 2017 quarter has failed to impress: IVS highlights problems for QLD and TNQ .

This is annual growth in international numbers for the leading 24 tourism regions with visitor numbers above 100,000 p.a.

This is also where we should post a warning on sample sizes and margins for error as regions get smaller. Number of international visitors by region:

Central Queensland is particularly interesting. Visitor nights allegedly increased by 37.8% while expenditure decreased by 34.7%. This leaves CQ a distant last on spend per night to an extent which could imply international visitors to CQ are living in poverty during their stay. Perhaps they are backpacking fruit pickers? Fraser Coast was second last.

Bigger is better in sample numbers so I think it is the key numbers for Queensland and Australia which highlight the problem. International visitors by category:

Queensland is actually doing ok in the fast growing education sector up 18%. Where it is not doing ok is in the dominant tourism holiday sector with growth at 3.0% well below national growth at 5.1%. Also concerning is that while holiday numbers are growing at 5.1% for Australia, expenditure per trip is actually down -0.3%.

Kate Jones remains tourism minister. Apparently there is a new political policy in Brisbane to make cabinet appointments based on performance and not factions.

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