The latest data from Tourism Research Australia shows Brisbane had a significant impact on Queensland’s domestic visitor economy from January to March 2025, delivering 38% of the state’s visitation (2.3 million), 31% of visitor expenditure ($2 billion) and 30% of visitor nights (6.9 million). 

Brisbane’s strength as a business hub also stood out, with domestic business travellers contributing nearly half (49%) of Queensland’s total business visitor spend, injecting more than $526 million into the economy. 

Internationally, Brisbane’s global appeal is soaring. For the year ending March 2025, Brisbane saw international holiday visitors increase 18.2% year-on-year (594,000), while setting a new record of 7.4 million holiday nights, up 40.9% year-on-year. 

The city set new records for visitation from the USA, Indonesia, and India, while China visitation grew 28.4% year-on-year, showing strong growth in line with an increasing number of direct flights.

Brisbane’s top 5 international markets

1. New Zealand – 248,000, up 6.8% YoY, up 8.1% on 2019
2. United Kingdom – 136,000, up 0.1% YoY, up 5.4% on 2019
3. United States of America – 118,000, up 6.3% YoY, up 7.7% on 2019 – RECORD
4. China – 112,000, up 28.4% YoY, down 40.4% on 2019
5. South Korea, 61,000 up 4.1% YoY, up 41.2% on 2019

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said Brisbane’s popularity has soared.

“Brisbane is Australia’s lifestyle capital with so much to see and do, and we’ve proved to the world we’re far more than just a stopover destination.“International visitors are increasingly drawn to our world-class lifestyle precincts, vibrant dining and entertainment scene, major events, and stunning natural attractions, which cement our reputation as a must-visit city.

“There’s truly no place like Brisbane, and the latest tourism data clearly reflects that.”

Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA) Chief Executive Officer Anthony Ryan said strong collaboration was driving growth in the city. 

“These results are no accident - they’re the result of smart strategy and strong collaboration,” Mr Ryan said.

“We’re working side by side with our partners to secure blockbuster events, expand aviation access, and tell Brisbane’s story to the world through powerful destination marketing.“Brisbane’s momentum is building, setting the pace for the rest of Queensland, and these results show that our collective efforts are delivering real returns.”

BEDA is the city’s key driver of tourism, events and investment, and the Regional Tourism Organisation for Brisbane and the five surrounding councils including Moreton Bay, Scenic Rim, Ipswich, Logan and Redlands Coast. 

Brisbane’s Domestic Tourism Statistics (DoTS) results – March 2025 Quarter 

• Domestic expenditure – $2 billion, 31% of visitor spend in Queensland
• Domestic visitors – 2.3 million visitors, 38% of all visitors to Queensland
• Domestic visitor nights – 6.9 million nights, 30% of total visitor nights in Queensland
• Holiday visitors – 639,000 visitors, 28% of holiday visitors to Brisbane
• Business visitors – 433,000 visitors, 19% of business visitors to Brisbane
• Visiting friends and family – 988,000 visitors, 43% of visitors to Brisbane

Brisbane’s International Visitor Survey results – Year ending March 2025

• Total expenditure – $2.9 billion, down 8.6% YoY
• Total visitors – 1.3 million visitors, up 4.8% YoY
• Visitor nights – 27 million nights, up 5.3% YoY
• Holiday visitor nights – 7.4 million nights, up 40.9% YoY – RECORD
• Holiday visitors – 594,000 visitors, up 18.2% YoY
• Business visitors – 136,000 visitors, up 5% YoY

Additional record source markets (visitors)

• India – 54,000, up 23.9% YoY, up 25.3% on 2019 – RECORD
• Indonesia – 19,000, up 34.6% YoY, up 17.7% on 2019 – RECORD

 Brisbane’s International Visitor Survey results – Year ending March 2025 Additional record source markets (visitors).