Tourism is a very large sector of the Australian economy. Australia’s international tourism campaigns have mostly centered around the image of Australia as a wild, expansive, almost uninhabited continent, with many exotic scenery and wildlife, endless beaches, and friendly, relaxed locals.
Most of the international tourists to Australia are coming from United States and Japan. Travelers from both countries benefited from the weak Australian dollar in 1980s and 1990s. That made the Australian holidays moderately cheap. Usually Japanese tourists are taking short package tours, which concentrate heavily on the Australian native animals, iconic sights, and souvenir shops.
Another significant source of tourists to Australia are the backpackers – mostly young people from Western Europe and the United States. They are spending more time in Australia tending to explore considerably more of the country.
Australians are also huge domestic travelers. Some of the major tourist spots are seaside resort towns in every state, fishing locations, wine growing regions and mountain retreats. With the large number of SUVs purchased in recent years, “adventure tourism” are exploring the remote parts of Australia.