According to the Trade in Services Australia report, international visitors spent just over $4 billion on takeaway and restaurant meals in 2015-16, which amounted to 11.7 percent of Australia’s total tourism exports.
The report showed that Australia’s tourism exports increased by 11.1 percent to $34.2 billion. The tourism sector accounted for just over half of all services exports in the 2015-16 period which was recorded at a total of $68.3 billion.
Total spend on takeaway and restaurant meals increased from $3.6 billion in 2014-15 and $3.3 billion in 2013-14.
The double-digit growth experienced by Australia’s tourism exports was complemented by growth in education exports which also rose by 8.3 per cent to $20.3 billion. Taken together, tourism and education exports accounted for $54.5 billion out of a total of $68.3 billion.
The strong increases seen in Australia’s tourism and education sectors contrast with the declines seen across much of Australia’s mining industry, with large decreases seen across iron ore, coal, natural gas and aluminium.
Restaurant & Catering Australia CEO John Hart said that the recent growth in the export figures for tourism and education compared to the other sectors are a boon for the local job market.
“These figures show that the tourism and education sectors are continuing to outperform many other industries. Combined, these two sectors account for almost 80 percent of the total services exports which is staggering.
“The critical part of this is that tourism and education are the main services sectors which deliver exports onshore which then leads to greater job creation. This is more compelling evidence that the mining boom is undoubtedly being replaced by the dining boom,” Hart said.