Catastrophic 99 per cent decrease in visits to Australia

Australia's tourism sector and major airlines were annihilated by the coronavirus and fought to survive on one per cent of regular visitor numbers, according to fresh data.

COVID-19 travel restrictions caused a catastrophic 99 per cent decrease in overseas arrivals to Australia in April 2020, compared with April 2019.

The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data comes one day after March figures showed steep declines in visitor arrivals.

Of the nearly 22,000 arrivals to Australia in April, more than two thirds were Australian citizens returning from overseas.

Just under 7000 arrivals into the country were non-Australian citizens.

From February, the Federal Government began to impose increasing levels of restrictions on travel in and out of the country.

The tourism and aviation sectors have been some of the hardest hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg yesterday painted a bleak and startling picture in parliament.

"Domestic and international air travel is down by more than 97 per cent, with nearly 40,000 passengers moving through Brisbane Airport on Easter Sunday last year, compared to just 31 passengers this year," Mr Frydenberg said.

Virgin Australia has gone into voluntary administration, and Qantas has stood down 20,000 staff.

There are hopes some domestic tourism could begin in Australia by July.

The Australian and New Zealand governments are working together, trying to plan for a Trans-Tasman travel bubble.

Behind China, Kiwis are Australia's second largest source market, accounting or 15 per cent of all visitors.

Similarly, 1.5 million Australians visited New Zealand in 2019.

Contact: msaunoko@nine.com.au

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