Backpackers, who spent $3 billion in Australia the last exercise, are “in value their weight out of gold” and must be encouraged to continue to come, the minister Fran Bailey of tourism known as. The expenditure by the international hikers developed by $495 million (20 percent) in last exercise, with the number of such visitors increasing by 555.900, Mrs. Bailey said today.

 The majority took in the sights around NSW and of Queensland, although Australia Of the south recorded the highest rise in popularity with 13 percent more tourists travelling to the state. Mrs. Bailey said that the increased expenditure could be explained partly by new conditions of visa by last year which facilitated it so that the young hikers work in Australia. “this kind of flexibility helps to provide to hikers the funds to remain longer, to further visit with far and to spend more,” she said.

Last week the government announced new agreements with the USA and the Canadian governments which will make available an unlimited number of visas let the eligible travellers work and study in Australia. The new agreements will allow young Americans and Canadians to pass a displacement of year and six months functioning in Australia, with the capacity studied during up to four months of this time. Australiens young people will be given the same opportunities in these countries.

Mrs. Bailey said one hoped for it that the new visas would make it possible to tourists to spend more and to travel more largely to Australia and to also fill vacant posts of work in areas. Tourism Transport Forum (TTF) managing director Christopher Brown indicated today that the new agreements would probably amplify the voyage of hiker and to still spend other. “as well as to spend more and remain longer in Australia, hikers are a resource increasingly valid for the Australian employers – in particular those in the sectors confronted with the lacks of work and qualifications, such as housing and hospitality, and those in regional Australia,” Mr. Brown said.