Melbourne, Dec 10: Despite safety issue concerning
Indian students Down Under, Australian state of Victoria
recorded a whopping 34 per cent increase in number of Indian
visitors over the past year touching the figure to 49,000, the
highest level ever recorded.
State Tourism and Major Events Minister, Tim Holding said
the figures were released yesterday in Tourism Research
Australia`s latest International Visitor Survey which also
showed Victoria and Western Australia as the only states to
see international visitor numbers increase.
"The Brumby Labour Government continues to support
tourism in Melbourne and regional Victoria helping to boost
economic activity and protect local jobs," Holding said in an
official statement.
"While most other parts of Australia have seen a downturn
in tourism, Victoria is showing resilience in the face of the
Global Financial Crisis, the devastating Black Saturday
bushfires, swine flu and negative media coverage from
incidents involving Indian students," the statement said.
Victoria had a one per cent increase in international
visitors to reach more than 1.5 million visitors for the year
ending September 2009 while New South Wales decreased by 5.7
per cent, Queensland decreased 5.5 per cent and the national
average was down 2 per cent," he said.
PTI
