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Tourism and the visitor economy

Melbourne’s iconic events calendar and the attractions of our regions has catapulted Victoria in the imaginations of Indian visitors.

Research undertaken by Visit Victoria and Tourism Australia reveals that 55 per cent of Indian travellers are considering a trip to Melbourne in the next four years.

Indian tourism to Victoria is on track to achieve the 2018 Strategy’s 2027 targets for overnight expenditure by tourists. Tourism Research Australia forecasts show India having a 62 per cent increase in visitation to Australia from 2019 to 2028, making it Australia’s fourth largest market for total visitation, up from eighth in 2019.

The state's business events sector is also a major driver of the Victorian economy, generating an estimated $12.6 billion annually and supporting more than 84,000 jobs.

As of March 2024, visitor spending in Victoria reached $39.3 billion with India emerging as a crucial market. It is Victoria's third-largest source of international visitor expenditure at $451 million in the year to March 2024, nearly reaching pre-pandemic levels. India has strong visitation across all segments, including holiday, visiting friends and relatives, and education. India’s outbound travel market is rapidly expanding, driven by a growing middle class and a younger, educated population. With a projected 2.7 million high-value travellers, India is set to become a leading source of high-spending tourism, particularly in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector, expected to exceed $45 billion by 2025.

The Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) is Victoria’s lead agency for attracting and delivering international business events to the state. In 2022, it established an office in India to explore MICE opportunities to strengthen trade and investment between India and Victoria. In the first two years since the establishment of this new office, MCB attracted 14 incentive groups from India, generating close to $29 million in economic impact for Victoria.

Increases in aviation links now also make travel between Victoria and India easier than ever. Attracting flights to India was a focus of the 2018 Strategy, including to the major cities of Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.

What's the opportunity

Backed by strong air connections, tourism is now an established sector between Victoria and India.

For those who visit Victoria, there is an opportunity to promote activities beyond visiting friends and family to showcase all that Victoria has to offer, including a world-renowned dining and cultural scene, and wellness and adventure tourism.

There are also further opportunities to attract conferences to Melbourne that can enable business and professional connection in priority subject areas for Victoria and India.

Case studies

Updated