Australian tourists are world's biggest nightlife spenders: report

By Hoang Vu June 3, 2024 | 11:27 pm PT

An Australian family pose for a photo during their trip to Da Nang in April 2023. Photo by Ken Rafter

Australian tourists are the world's biggest spenders on experiences and nightlife services as they spend 19% of their holiday cash on these activities, higher than the global average of 12%, a report has found.

British travelers are the second biggest spenders, followed by Italians, Americans, and Germans, according to a report by U.S.-based payments firm Mastercard. It analyzed data from its customers to examine their spending while abroad over the last 12 months.

Fiji, Bali, Tokyo, Queenstown, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Osaka are the favorite locations for Australians, the report said, based on their share of flight bookings in recent months compared to the pre-pandemic levels.

"There is a difference in preferences. When folks from Australia are traveling around, they are doing it more for the experiences rather than retail therapy," Mastercard chief economist David Mann said, as quoted by SBS Australia.

Australia is among the 10 biggest sources of tourist arrivals in Vietnam, with more than 33,100 visitors in May.