Viva Bris Vegas: Brisbane sets new tourism records in landmark year
Brisbane continues to come into its own as a must-visit destination, with Tourism Research Australia reporting record visitor highs and a ‘domestic tourism trifecta’.
According to new data from Tourism Research Australia, in the year ending September 2024, the Brisbane region hit an all-time high of $11 billion in visitor spending and recorded an unprecedented 52.9 million visitor nights.
Brisbane also proved its popularity as a hotspot for domestic visitors, with a record 8.1 million visitors (up 14.3 per cent year-on-year), domestic visitor spending of $7.9 billion (up 9.3 per cent) and visitor nights up 17.8 per cent to 25.1 million.
The southern states expressed a resurgent interest in the Sunshine State’s capital with more visitors than ever recorded from Sydney (1.1 million), Melbourne (772,000), New South Wales and Victoria (1.1 million).
“Brisbane is Australia’s lifestyle capital, and once people experience our city, they fall in love and keep coming back,” Brisbane’s Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said.
“Our packed calendar of major events, world-class dining and vibrant lifestyle precincts have made us a must-do destination for local and international visitors alike.
“Brisbane’s thriving visitor economy continues to support our local businesses and we look forward to welcoming more visitors to Brisbane in 2025.”
Not just a city of leisure and pleasure, the number of those travelling to Brisbane for business also increased to a record 2.1 million, up 34.3 per cent.
The Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA) pointed to its “Brisbane Favours the Bold” marketing campaign as a driver for the record visitor numbers.
BEDA CEO Anthony Ryan said collaboration across the city was also a contributing factor.
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“Brisbane’s growth is a testament to the vision, collaboration, and dedication of our visitor economy businesses and partners,” Ryan said.
“These record-breaking results highlight the growing appeal of our city – and we’re only just getting started.
“It’s been a landmark year for Brisbane, and we’re thrilled to finish on such a high note. The momentum will only grow in 2025.”
