Tourism is destined to continue playing a vital role in Australia’s economic and social
development. The Tourism Forecasting Council (TFC) predicts that international visitor arrivals
will grow at an annual average rate of 7.3 per cent to 2008 and generate nearly $32 billion in
export earnings in 2008. This means international visitor number in excess of 8.4 million in
2008 - almost double the current level of tourist visitation to Australia. Much higher levels of
growth are predicted from emerging Asian markets including China (21.1 per cent), South Korea
(23.7 per cent) and Thailand (18.3 per cent). On the domestic front growth is anticipated to be
steady with an average annual growth rate of 1.6 per cent for the period 1998-99 to 2008-09.