Fresh data from Tourism Research Australia shows Brisbane had a big impact on Queensland’s domestic visitor economy from January to March 2025.
The Queensland capital delivered 38 per cent of the state’s visitors (2.3 million), 31 per cent of visitor expenditure ($2 billion) and 30 per cent of visitor nights (6.9 million) during the period.
Brisbane also shone as a business hub, with domestic business travellers contributing nearly half of Queensland’s total business visitor spend, injecting more than $526 million into the state’s economy in that time.
Internationally, Brisbane’s appeal is soaring.
For the year ending March 2025, international holiday visitors increased 18.2 per cent year-on-year (594,000), while setting a record of 7.4 million holiday nights, up 40.9 per cent year-on-year.
The city set records for visits from the USA, Indonesia and India, while visits from China grew 28.4 per cent year-on-year, reflecting strong growth in line with a rise in direct flights.
The top international market was New Zealand, with 248,000 visitors, up 6.8 per cent year-on-year.
“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,” says Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner.
“There’s truly no place like Brisbane and the latest tourism data clearly reflects that.”
Brisbane Economic Development Agency CEO Anthony Ryan says strong collaboration is driving growth in the city.
“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,” he says.
“Brisbane’s momentum is building, setting the pace for the rest of Queensland, and these results show our collective efforts are delivering real returns.”
