As Brisbane’s official Regional Tourism Organisation, BEDA works with industry to grow the city’s visitor economy by supporting local operators, building trade connections and showcasing Brisbane experiences to domestic and international markets.

One of the local operators helping visitors see Brisbane in a new way is Urban Tours Brisbane, a homegrown business blending storytelling, local knowledge and interactive experiences to uncover the city’s hidden histories, neighbourhoods and landmarks.

Founded by Guy Watson as Brisbane Street Games, the business began with an interactive scavenger-hunt experience. With growing visitor demand, Guy was encouraged to turn the concept into a full-time tourism business.

Now trading as Urban Tours Brisbane, the business offers walking, bicycle and mini-bus sightseeing tours, as well as interactive detective and adventure-game experiences that reveal parts of Brisbane visitors might otherwise miss.

Urban Tours Brisbane has been recognised through the Best of Queensland Experiences Program for four consecutive years and achieved Silver status in 2026, while Guy Watson also received Silver in the 2026 Queensland Top Tour Guide Awards.

Through BEDA-supported development and trade opportunities, Guy has built connections with international trade partners and inbound tour operators looking for authentic, locally led Brisbane experiences. Urban Tours now see up to 70% international business.

His story reflects the kind of local tourism business BEDA is working to support as Brisbane’s visitor economy reaches new heights, with visitor expenditure hitting a record $17.8 billion and tourism supporting almost 104,000 local jobs.

Taking Brisbane experiences to the world

Over the past year, BEDA has taken Brisbane to the people and organisations who help shape travel decisions, through major trade shows and buyer appointments to roundtables, destination briefings and familiarisation programs.

In FY26 BEDA has connected Brisbane with more than 1,400 global trade representatives and showcased the region through 7 international trade missions across priority markets including the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, China, Southeast Asia and New Zealand.

Brisbane was also showcased at major industry moments including Australian Tourism Exchange 2026, ATEC Explore South Queensland and Inbound Queensland.

At ATE26, BEDA supported over 30 Brisbane region operators on the trade show floor, while ATEC Explore South Queensland brought 20 tourism businesses together with 30 inbound tour operators and online travel agencies.

Upcoming market activity will keep Brisbane visible in North America, Japan, India, and the United Kingdom as the city continues to build its global profile ahead of Brisbane 2032.

Q&A with Guy Watson

Urban Tours Brisbane Urban Tours began as a single scavenger-hunt experience. What gave you the confidence to turn it into a full-time tourism business?

It came down to complete confidence in Brisbane’s potential and the strength of the tourism industry behind us. BEDA championed our vision from day one, helping us develop exceptional experiences across walking, cycling, mini-bus and interactive adventure tours that bring Brisbane’s stories, places and personality to life.

What are the most popular markets Our strongest international markets are North America, the United Kingdom and New Zealand, with growing interest from Southeast Asia and India.

We tailor each experience to create memorable, distinctly Brisbane connections, from uncovering vibrant city hotspots and local stories to introducing guests to native wildlife such as Brisbane’s bearded water dragons.

How has working with BEDA helped you develop the business and connect with international trade partners?

Working with Brisbane Economic Development Agency has been instrumental in our growth. BEDA provided invaluable industry mentoring, access to trade events and strategic networking opportunities that helped us refine our products for international markets, scale our operations and connect directly with key inbound tour operators and international travel distributors.

What do visitors discover about Brisbane through your tours that they might otherwise miss?

Our guests discover the Brisbane locals know and love, from hidden green spaces and city stories to the communities and lifestyle that make the city so special. Across our different tour experiences, visitors also have opportunities to give back through litter collection initiatives and charitable donations, leaving a positive impact as they explore.

Local tourism operators looking to grow their business, build trade connections or share their visitor experiences can connect with BEDA’s tourism and destination development programs.

This World Tourism Day, BEDA celebrates the people and partnerships powering Brisbane’s visitor economy and helping share the best of the region with Australia and the world.