Mumbai, Sep 12 (PTI) Australia has witnessed over 14.6 per cent growth in Indian visitors travelling to the continent country for the year ended June 2017, at 2,71,100 travellers.

In the year ending June 2016, 2,41,700 Indians travelled to Australia, according to data by Tourism Australia.

"This makes India the ninth largest inbound market for arrivals for Australia for the year ended June 2017. Looking this trend we expect to reach close to 3,00,000 visitors from India in the calender year ending December 2017," Tourism Australia Country Manager, India and Gulf, Nishant Kashikar said.

In the year ended June 2017, 68 per cent of Indian visitors travelled to Australia for leisure (1,87,850).

Other visitors travelled for business (31,900), employment (21,000), education (20,450) and other purposes (15,900).

Leisure visitors are on holiday (74,550) or visiting friends and relatives (1,13,300).

In terms of spending Indians are positioned eighth with an average spend of AUD 5,491 per person.

For the year ending June 2017, Indian visitors spent AUD 1.43 billion (around Rs 7,150 crore) on their trips to Australia, an increase of 30 per cent over the previous year.

In the year ending June 2016, Indian travellers had spent AUD 1.1 billion.

Indian visitors spent 14.7 million nights in Australia during the year ending June 2017, an increase of 4 per cent over 2016. PTI SM NRB