ABS flags travel stats shift

THE Australian Bureau of Statistics has confirmed significant upcoming changes to its key arrivals and departures figures, which will become focused on “Short Term Visitor Arrivals” and “Short Term Resident Returns” - rather than resident departures.

The changes are part of the removal of the paper-based Outgoing Passenger Card (OPC) for international travellers, which is on track to be phased out from next month.

“Removing paper-based passenger cards is integral to achieving a seamless and automated travel experience,” the ABS said, with the Department of Immigration and Border Control having worked closely with the ABS and Tourism Research Australia to “identify and successfully test alternate data sources to the OPC”.

The new overseas arrivals and departures data will be made available for the reference month of Jul 2017, scheduled for release on 12 Sep this year.

Some data will no longer be available as a result, including country of disembarkation and stay for departing travellers, permanent departures for Australian residents, and “main reason for journey” - with an amended Incoming Passenger Card to be used to collect data as an alternative to this information.

MEANWHILE, ABS figures for departures and arrivals during Apr 2017 were released yesterday with key figures including a whopping 14.3% year-on-year increase in arrivals from the USA.

In terms of outbound travel the fastest growing destinations were Japan, up 14% and Singapore, up 10.3%, while departures to Indonesia were down 11% year on-year.