The latest Tourism Research Australia data for the year ending March 2024, showed that overall visitor spending climbed to $10.6 billion, up 29.4% from 2019, with domestic spend up 7.1% YoY to $7.4 billion and international spend up 10.9% from 2019 to $3.2 billion.

Brisbane welcomed more visitors from Canada, New Zealand, South Korea and the USA, than ever before. Visitors from South Korea were up 35.6% from 2019, supported by increased direct flights to Seoul launched in February this year, while visitors from Canada jumped by 23.9% in the period.

The data showed international visitors were also staying longer in Brisbane, increasing their average length of stay to 21 nights, up by 2.6 nights.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said visitors from around Australia and the world are enjoying the best of Brisbane.

“With our world-class hotels, restaurants, lifestyle precincts, tourism experiences, and packed calendar of events, Brisbane is bringing visitors more to see and do than ever before," said Cr Schrinner.

“Be it for business or leisure, international and domestic travellers are extending their stays and enjoying our fantastic lifestyle for longer, benefiting our local businesses and strengthening our economy.

“Brisbane’s popularity as a place to visit continues to grow as we attract incredible accolades from global publications like TIME Magazine, Frommers and The New York Times.

“We will continue to support new and expanding aviation routes, which have contributed to the resurgence of major international tourism markets.

“Brisbane’s popularity with southern states also continues to soar and we look forward to welcoming those visitors chasing our warm winter sunshine and fantastic lifestyle.”

Brisbane’s popularity with southern cities hit new heights, with visitors from Melbourne up by a record 27.4% YoY to 719,000, and visitors from Sydney, up 8.2% to 915,000 YoY.

Domestic business travel to Brisbane is also surging, with visitors up 13.5% to 1.8 million, driven by Brisbane’s booming economy, ‘bleisure’ credentials and growing calendar of high-profile conferences and business events.

Brisbane Economic Development Agency Chief Executive Officer Anthony Ryan said the city’s destination marketing campaigns, calendar of events and booming economic forecast were driving the visitor economy.

“The brand of Brisbane is fast becoming the hero of Australia’s visitor economy,” Mr Ryan said.

“Brisbane’s visitor economy is surging across both leisure and business travel, thanks to our growing global reputation, enviable lifestyle and tourism offering, and our booming economy, which is forecast to grow 68 per cent to $275 billion by 2041.

“As Brisbane’s popularity and economy continues to soar, we will work to keep raising the city’s profile, securing global business conferences and major events for the city, and attracting investment and growth to the city, so visitors can enjoy the best of Brisbane.”

BEDA’s acclaimed destination marketing activity continues to support holiday visitation from both domestic and international markets. The hugely successful ‘Brisbane Favours the Bold’ destination campaign achieved more than $70.6m in potential economic benefit to the city, with $6.2m in bookings through the campaign period.

The latest tourism data showed a record increase in holiday visitors from Sydney, up by 19.8% YoY to 229,000, while Melbourne holiday visitors had also increased significantly to 224,000.

Brisbane’s National Visitor Survey results – Year ending March 2024

• Total expenditure – $7.4 billion, up 7.1% YoY - RECORD
• Total visitors – 7.2 million visitors, down 2.3% YoY
• Total visitor nights – 22.4 million nights, down 3.6% YoY
• Holiday visitors – 2.2 million visitors, down 10.3% YoY
• Visiting friends and relatives (VFR) – 2.8 million visitors, down 4.2% YoY
• Business visitors – 1.8 million visitors, up 13.5% YoY

Brisbane’s International Visitor Survey results – Year ending March 2024

• Total expenditure - $3.2 billion, up 10.9% on 2019 - RECORD
• Total visitors – 1.2 million visitors, down 17.1% on 2019
• Total visitor nights – 25.7 million nights, down 5.1% on 2019
• Total spend per visitor - $2,609, up 33.7% on 2019
• Average length of stay – 21 nights, up 2.6 nights on 2019
• VFR visitors – 445,000, down 2.1% on 2019
• Business visitors – 130,000, down 8% on 2019
• Employment visitors – 29,000, up 34.6% on 2019

Source markets to Brisbane

• Intrastate total visitors – 4 million, down 4.7% YoY
• Interstate total visitors – 3.2 million, up 0.9% YoY
• Sydney total visitors – 915,000 visitors, up 8.2% YoY
• Sydney holiday visitors – 229,000, up 19.8% YoY - RECORD
• Melbourne total visitors – 719,000 visitors, up 27.4% YoY – RECORD
• Melbourne holiday visitors – 224,000 – RECORD (percentage not reportable)
• New Zealand – 232,000, up 1.3% on 2019 - RECORD
• United Kingdom – 136,000, up 5.3% on 2019
• United States of America – 111,000, up 1.3% on 2019 - RECORD
• South Korea – 58,000, up 35.6% on 2019 - RECORD
• China – 87,000, down 68.5% on 2019
• India – 44,000, up 1.2% on 2019
• Canada – 48,000, up 23.9% on 2019 – RECORD
• Japan – 46,000, down 1.7% on 2019