An increasing number of people are leaving Australia and not coming back, as both inbound and outbound travel continues to recover following sharp drops during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show the total number of departures from Australia increased to 1,694,440 in August — which was 11.7 per cent higher than a year earlier.
Meanwhile, short-term resident returns reached 916,980, an increase of 6.8 per cent on last year.
That means more people chose to leave and not return to Australia
There were 1,656,470 total arrivals, an increase of 7.2 per cent from one year earlier.
In terms of travellers to Australia, 658,810 short-term trips were recorded, an increase of 55,450 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year.
This was still 16.5 per cent lower than the pre-COVID level in August 2019.
Where are Australians travelling to?
Australians made the most trips back from Indonesia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
The three countries with the most visitors to Australia were New Zealand, China and Japan.
Australian Travel Industry Association chief executive Dean Long said Australians are "keen to make up for lost time".
The leader of the travel industry's peak body said: "Australians have a renewed confidence in international travel, and they’re eager to explore both near and far-flung destinations."
"Whether it’s the lure of vibrant cities, natural landscapes or cultural attractions, Australians are travelling more frequently and to a wider range of destinations than we've seen in recent years."
