Australia welcomed 6.3 million visitors in the 12 month period ending August 2013, an increase of 5.6 per cent relative to the previous year.

Of the total, 611,300 visitors arrived from the UK representing a three per cent increase on the previous 12 months.

The UK remains Australia’s most important leisure market in terms of total spend with leisure visitors from the UK contributing 15 per cent of the total spend for all inbound leisure visitors to Australia.

The UK also remains the most important international leisure market for Australia in terms of visitor nights and dispersed nights.

Denise von Wald, Tourism Australia, regional general manager, UK/Northern Europe, said: “Consumer confidence is finally improving in the UK and this more positive outlook is being felt in the British travel industry.

“We are delighted with the improving results for Australia and look forward to welcoming many more Brits Down Under over the coming year.

“At Tourism Australia, we are working with industry partners around the world to deliver our Tourism 2020 Strategy which aims to achieve AUD$115-$140 billion in overnight expenditure by the year 2020, up from $70 billion in 2011.

“As part of this plan we have a huge focus on attracting UK visitors, who spend a lot and travel widely in Australia.”