India, which is the eighth-largest inbound market for Australian tourism, contributed over AUD 1.1 billion (about Rs 5,400 crore) to the Australian economy in 2015.
Also, the number of Indian tourists who visited Australia rose 18.6 percent in 2015 to 2,33,100, from 1,97,000 in the previous year, Press Trust of India reported, citing data from Tourism Australia, the government's agency that promotes the country as a tourist destination.
Known for its mesmerising landscapes, culinary delights and its pristine beaches, Australia is now eyeing over 2,50,000 Indian tourists in the current year.
Indians visited the Kangaroo land (Australia) for various reasons:
| No. of Indians | Reason for travelling to Australia |
| 98,000 | Visiting family and friends |
| 65,000 | Holiday |
| 26,400 | On business trips |
| 14,800 | Short term education |
| 33,000 | Other purposes |
Of these, there were some people who made repeat trips to the country.
The Tourism Australia data indicates that India is the tenth-largest source in terms of tourism revenues. An average Indian tourist spends AUD 5,185 (about Rs 2,56,000) for a trip to the country, PTI added.
According to Tourism Australia, the top five Australian attractions for Indian travellers are beaches, Sydney Opera House, wildlife safaris and the Great Barrier Reef.
In 2015, Indian tourists spent a total of 14 million nights in the country. On an average, the length of stay of all Indians was 65 nights.
Tourism Australia targets big cities in India such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.
[1 lakh = 100,000 | 1 crore = 10 million | 100 crore = 1 billion]
