Aussies are still travelling

Australians are back to spending big on holidays, travel and eating out since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ausralian Bureau of Statistics released its findings on household spending since 2019, finding that overall spending by each household grew 6 per cent in April compared to the previous year.

Tourism, including hotels, travel and restaurants, were the big winners this month, with each household spending 13.4 per cent more in 2023 than in 2022.

The statistics should come as welcome news by Kiama business owners, where it’s no secret how reliant the local economy is on outside visitors.

According to Destination NSW, an estimated 400,000 domestic tourists visit the Kiama LGA each year for at least one night, spending a total of $207 million, while day visitors spent another $48 million in the region alone.

It’s not all greenfields for the economy, however, as