Australia’s inbound tourism industry is calling for economic impact modelling of proposed changes to the Working Holiday Maker program, citing concerns about potential effects on visitor spending, regional tourism and workforce availability.
The Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) said the latest Tourism Research Australia International Visitor Survey showed international visitors made 8.43 million trips and spent $40.47 billion in Australia in the year ending June 2026, with expenditure up 16% year on year. Holiday visitors accounted for $13.45 billion in spending, an 18% increase.
Peter Shelley, ATEC Managing Director, said Working Holiday Makers should also be recognised for their contribution as international visitors.
“WHMs stay longer, travel around Australia, spend in our communities and help disperse international tourism expenditure into regional Australia and are a critical target market for our inbound tourism industry,” Mr Shelley said.
ATEC said the Government’s announced changes would cap second-year Working Holiday Maker places at 45,000 and third-year places at 5,000, reducing the total number of places by around 38,000 compared with the previous year.
Mr Shelley said uncertainty around the new ballot system could influence whether prospective Working Holiday Makers choose Australia or undertake regional work required for longer stays.
ATEC estimates the reduction could place hundreds of millions of dollars in visitor spending at risk, in addition to potential impacts on regional workforce supply.
The organisation also pointed to softer June quarter figures, with international visitor spending down 6% and visitor nights falling 11% compared with the same period a year earlier.
ATEC is calling for economic modelling of the proposed changes before implementation, covering their potential effect on visitor expenditure, regional dispersal and workforce availability.
