Despite international borders reopening to fully vaccinated working holiday-makers in December last year, backpackers have been slow to travel to regional areas. Fortunately, things are about to change. Bundaberg hostel owner Kyle Myers says accommodation bookings from international travelers have surged in the past month.
Since December, the Department of Home Affairs has granted almost 126,100 working holiday maker (WHM) visas. More than 63,300 of those are in Australia, with another 75,000 WHM visa holders offshore who can travel to Australia.
"Working holiday-makers provide an important cultural and economic contribution to Australia, including through their role in filling skills and labour gaps and job creation in associated industries and businesses," said a spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the number of short-term visitors arriving in Australia is far from pre-pandemic levels, with 325,680 arrivals in July compared with 790,380 for the same month in 2019. But the number of overseas visitors staying one year or longer appears to be bouncing back, with 60,550 long-term arrivals in June compared with 76,870 in 2019.
Source: abc.net.au