The Tourism Minister says tourists are turning their backs on visiting Australia as unprecedented bushfires continue to burn.

The United States has downgraded its travel warning for Australia after Prime Minister Scott Morrison expressed concern.

The US travel advisory warning was upgraded to ‘exercise increased caution’, putting Australia on the same warning level as Gaza, Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong.

It was overnight downgraded to “exercise normal precautions”.

Federal Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Simon Birmingham tells Luke Grant is it a “relief” that the warning was downgraded.

“The widespread international media coverage of the bushfires is having an impact.

“I have anecdotal evidence from right across the country of cancellations and that’s disappointing, annoying, frustrating when you hear of cancellations happening in Central Australia, Queensland, Western Australia, that are largely having standard Australian summers.”

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