Australian tourism sees Melbourne top Sydney as destination of choice

Melbourne has emerged as the top destination for Australian tourists, with the gap between rival Sydney growing even further on last year.

ETA Visa

Melbourne is tops for domestic tourists, but Sydney still wins the majority of international visitors.

Despite both cities experiencing a slight drop in numbers this year, over the past decade Melbourne's interstate visitor numbers have grown by 22 per cent to more than four million a year.

In contrast, Sydney’s numbers fell 15 per cent to 3.3 million, according to Tourism Australia figures for the 12 months to March.

But Sydney still tops Melbourne in terms of the big tourism market – international visitors.

Some 5.7 million overseas tourists visited Australia during the year ended April 2010, an increase of 2 per cent.

All overseas tourists, unless they have an Australian or New Zealand passport, must have an Australian Travel Visa. The most popular of these Australian visas is the ETA Visa, as it can be quickly and easily applied for online. Once approved, the visa allows the holder to enter Australia for up to three months for tourism purposes.

The Australian Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people lodge their Australia visa applications with the Australian Embassy.