Major events help lift Brisbane’s tourism economy to record $17 billion
Brisbane’s visitor economy will reach a record $17 billion in 2025, driven by a rise in international spending and strong domestic demand, according to new tourism data.
Tourism Research Australia figures for the year to December show international visitor spending in Brisbane rose 14.8 per cent to $3.6 billion, the highest figure on record. Total visitor spending, including domestic travel and day trips, reached $17 billion.
Data released by the Commonwealth agency on Monday shows 1.3 million international visitors stayed in Brisbane for a total of 27.3 million nights throughout the year. Of these, 614,000 were holidaymakers, an increase of 6.3 percent annually; International visitor nights increased by 13.8 percent to a record 8.1 million.
Brisbane Economic Development Agency chief executive Anthony Ryan said major events and destination marketing continued to play a key role in driving demand.
“Major events help fill hotels and attract visitors, while domestic travel continues to account for the majority of visitor spending,” he said.
Ryan said BEDA will focus on maintaining domestic demand while continuing to increase international visitation through targeted participation in key markets.
Domestic travel continues to support the city’s visitor economy, with Brisbane accounting for 36 per cent of Queensland’s domestic visitor spending, TRA data shows. Domestic spending reached $13.4 billion, supported by 9.6 million overnight visitors who stayed 27 million nights.
Day trips also played an important role; Brisbane attracted 49 per cent of such trips in Queensland. Day trip spending in the city reached 4.5 billion dollars.
New Zealand, the United Kingdom and China were Brisbane’s largest international source markets, while New South Wales and Victoria accounted for the largest share of domestic visitors.
Visitation to the UK increased by 9.6 per cent to 155,000 visitors, while holiday travel from the UK increased faster. The number of holiday visitors from the UK increased by 28.3 per cent, while holiday nights more than doubled; The growth coincided with major events such as the British and Irish Lions rugby tour and Ashes cricket.
Japan also broke a new record with the number of visitors increasing by 17.3 percent on an annual basis.
Brisbane Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the figures reflected growing interest in the city from both international and domestic travellers.
“Brisbane offers a powerful mix of culture, outdoor experiences and major events,” he said.
“These results put the city in a solid position as global travel conditions remain uncertain.”
The TRA results come as Brisbane prepares for a busy calendar of major events including the NRL Magic Round and the Brisbane Festival, as well as long-term preparations for next year’s Rugby World Cup.
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