International travel has rebounded from Covid-19, with the number of Australians returning from overseas trips reaching, and sometimes exceeding, pre-pandemic levels.

Jenny Dobak, the Australian Bureau of Statistics head of migration statistics, said the number of residents returning from short-term trips in 2023-24 was 32 per cent higher than in 2022-23, and almost reached the pre-Covid volume of travellers.

“The number of resident returns each month reached 100 per cent of the 2019 volume in January 2024, for the first time since international travel restrictions were lifted,” she said.

“It has been above 100 per cent of pre-Covid volumes in the following months, with the exception of May 2024.”

Five of the first six months of 2024 have experienced an increase in international travel when compared to the same time period in 2019.

In January 2022, the total amount when compared to 2019 was just 10.9 per cent of the monthly returns.

The ABS qualifies a short-term trip as one with a stay of less than 12 months.

Where are they heading?

Indonesia was the top destination for Australia, with 1.5 million trips recorded in the 2023-24 period.

Indonesia, and Bali, are popular holiday destinations for Australians across the country. Photo: Getty

Dobak said that holidays were the leading reason for travel to Indonesia, making up 87.1 per cent of travel.

“The growth in Australian resident trips to Indonesia outpaced the increase in trips to New Zealand by around four to one,” she said.

“New Zealand remains as the second most common travel destination with 1.3 million trips to the Land of the Long White Cloud in 2023-24.”

Most Australian citizens don’t need a visa to enter New Zealand and its close proximity makes it an alluring destination for travel.

The United States of America was the only country in the top five destinations for Australians that had a lower number of trips than 10 years ago, with more than 250,000 fewer trips than compared to 2013-14.

Changing destinations

Earlier this year, China and Australia announced they would give each other’s citizens multiple entry visas for up to five years for tourism and business, and the closer ties between the two countries have already resulted in increased tourism.

Dobak said China has become the second-most popular country for visitors to arrive in Australia since the Covid-19 pandemic.

“China made a notable movement in the top five countries that short-term visitors arrived from,” she said.

“India was the fifth-most popular destination, however, it was the only country in the top five to surpass its pre-Covid level.”

Australians have also rushed to take up the visa-free travel option in China after Australia was added to its visa waiver program in June.