2013-03-19 00:27:57 -

STA Travel and VisitBritain today announced Australians are staying longer and spending more in Britain compared with their international counterparts.

Data collected by the UK Office for National Statistics highlights that Australia is the eighth largest generator of international visitors to the UK. However, thanks to Australians staying longer than average (12 nights, compared with 8), Australia is Britain’s fifth largest market in terms of visitor nights and fourth most important market when it comes to spending - with Australians outlaying around AUS $1.5 billion (£1 billion) in 2011.

The typical Australian holiday visit to Britain generates around AUS $1,300 (£900) for the British economy, a figure which more than doubles for business visitors.

‘Australians have long held an affinity for Britain. While

many travellers land at Heathrow to revisit long-standing family connections, take in the sights and sounds of London, or escape to the English countryside – what recent research suggests is that Australians are increasingly important to British tourism through their willingness to stay longer, and spend more,’ said Mark Haynes, Marketing Manager Australia for VisitBritain. ‘Underlying the spending power of Australians in Britain, research actually shows Australian holiday visitors have the highest propensity to go shopping during their stay compared with all other major markets.’

The VisitBritain research also delivered some surprising results, shaking off the stereotype of Australians being uncultured lovers of the sun, the beach and lazing around; nearly half of holiday visits from Australia to Britain will include a trip to a museum, and one-in-three a trip to an art gallery. Additionally, research also shows that Australians are nearly twice as likely to go to the ballet, theatre, opera or a musical in Britain compared with other international travellers.

‘While some in Britain may still think of us Aussies as sun loving layabouts, what is really pleasing from this is that research shows Australians are actually some of the most likely visitors to Britain to indulge in a bit of culture,’ said Andrea Robinson, Travel Innovation for STA Travel.

Perhaps less surprising was that while Australians appear to be more willing to indulge in cultural activities on holiday, research still indicates that three quarters of Australians holidaying in Britain, or visiting friends or relatives there, end up in a pub at some stage on their trip.

Australian travel trends discovered by VisitBritain.

- Britain accounted for around 9% of all outbound trips from Australia in 2011 (UNWTO)
- There has been a 14% increase in the number of visits to the UK over the last five years
- There are more than twice the number of people from NSW than Victoria that visit the UK every year
- Four in five Australian holiday visits to the UK also include time in destinations other than Britain.

For more information please visit: www.statravel.com.au : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww .. www.visitbritain.com : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww .. and www.visitbritain.org : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww ..

* Office for National Statistics International Passenger Survey, published in VisitBritain’s the ‘Market and Trade Profile – Australia’ report bit.ly/ZG8vOC : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbit ..

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Mulberry Marketing CommunicationsPaul Manser, +61 (3) 9023 9110 or

+614 16 704 940 pmanser@mulberrymc.com : mailto:pmanser@mulberrymc.com