Visitors to Brisbane spent a record $11 billion while in the River City in the 12 months to September, smashing a host of other records along the way.
The latest figures from Tourism Research Australia show there was also a record 52.9 million visitor nights recorded over that time.
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said Brisbane’s booming popularity was driving the city’s economic growth.
Lord Mayor Schrinner said major events, world-class dining and vibrant lifestyle precincts like Howard Smith Wharves, West Village, Fish Lane and South Bank had made Brisbane a must-do destination for local and international visitors.
“Brisbane is Australia’s lifestyle capital, and once people experience our city, they fall in love and keep coming back,” he said.
“Brisbane’s thriving visitor economy continues to support our local businesses.”
The data also showed Brisbane set records in domestic visitation, with visitors from other states spending a record $7.9 billion, up 9.3 percent year-on-year, while visitor numbers climbed 14.3 percent to 8.1 million and visitor nights surged 17.8 percent to 25.1 million.
It showed business visitors from across Australia also skyrocketed, with 2.1 million traveling to Brisbane, up 34.3 percent.
Brisbane Economic Development Agency CEO Anthony Ryan said collaboration across the city was helping drive record visitation.
“Brisbane’s growth is a testament to the vision, collaboration, and dedication of our visitor economy businesses and partners. These record-breaking results highlight the growing appeal of our city,” Mr Ryan said.
“BEDA’s Brisbane Favours the Bold marketing campaign has been a game-changer, attracting record numbers of visitors from across the country to experience everything Brisbane has to offer.”
Fast Facts
Brisbane highlights (all Record numbers):
- Total overnight visitor expenditure: $11 billion.
- Total visitor nights: 52.9 million.
- Domestic expenditure: $7.9 billion, up 9.3 percent.
- Domestic visitors: 8.1 million visitors, up 14.3 percent.
- Domestic visitor nights: 25.1 million nights, up 17.8 percent.
- Sydney visitor nights: 3.6 million, up 42 percent.
- Melbourne visitor nights: 3.3 million, up 67.9 percent.
- Domestic business visitors: 2.1 million, up 34.3 percent
Brisbane’s international visitors
- Total expenditure: $3.1 billion, up 8.5 percent on 2019.
- Total visitors: 1.3 million visitors, down 15.3 percent on 2019.
- Total visitor nights: 27.8 million nights, up 2.8 percent on 2019.
- Average length of stay: 22.2 nights, up 3.9 nights on 2019.
- Holiday nights: 6.8 million nights, down 4.7 percent on 2019.
- Visiting friends and family: Nine million visitor nights, up 13.7 percent on 2019.
Source markets to Brisbane
- Sydney visitors: 1.1 million, up 34.8 percent.
- Sydney visitor nights: 3.6 million, up 42 percent.
- Melbourne visitors: 772,000, up 30.3 percent.
- Melbourne visitor nights: 3.3 million, up 67.9 percent.
- Victorian total visitors: 1.1 million, up 32.5 percent.
- Victorian total visitor nights: 4.3 million, up 48.4 percent.
- New Zealand: 249,000, up 8.7 percent on 2019.
- United Kingdom: 140,000, up 8.7 percent on 2019.
- United States of America: 103,000, down 5.3 percent on 2019.
- China: 116,000, down 58 percent on 2019.
- South Korea: 55,000, up 27.8 percent on 2019.
- Canada: 43,000, up 11.4 percent on 2019.
- Japan: 46,000, down 1.2 percent on 2019.
- India: 46,000, up 6.5 percent on 2019.
