Page last updated: 11 October 2024
As Queensland’s capital and Australia’s third-largest city, Brisbane is a major player in Australia’s tourism industry. Visitors are drawn by its subtropical climate, distinct culture, and to its popular destinations like the Great Barrier Reef and the Gold Coast.
How many people visit Brisbane every year?
Over 8.8 million tourists travelled to Brisbane in 2024, combining international (1.25 million) and domestic (7.55 million) visitors.
- This total shows an 11.7% decrease in international trips from 1.42 million in 2019 and a 3.7% increase in domestic trips from 7.21 million in 2023.
How many people visited Brisbane in 2023?
- In the year ending December 2023, Brisbane welcomed approximately 7.33 million domestic visitors, marking a 2.18% increase from the previous year but still trailing 8.54% behind 2019 figures.
How many people visited Brisbane in 2022?
- In the year ending December 2022, Brisbane attracted over 7.17 million domestic visitors, indicating a rebound from pandemic figures but still a 10.5% fall from 2019 levels.
How many people visited Brisbane in 2019?
- The city saw over 8.01 million domestic visitors in the year ending December 2019.
How much do visitors spend in Brisbane every year?
Tourists spent $10.7 billion in Brisbane in the year ending June 2024, with international visitors spending $3.18 billion and domestic visitors spending $7.52 billion.
- This expenditure represents an 18% increase in international spending from $2.7 billion in 2019 and an 8.5% increase in domestic spending from $6.93 billion in 2023.
How much did visitors spend in Brisbane in 2023?
- Domestic tourism in 2023 (year ending December) generated over $7.26 billion in revenue.
- This reflected a growth of 14.05% from 2022’s $6.37 billion and a substantial 37.94% increase from 2019’s $5.27 billion.
- For international tourists, expenditure reached a record $2.9 billion, up by 1.7% from 2019.
How much did visitors spend in Brisbane in 2022?
- Domestic spending reached $6.37 billion in the year ending December 2022, surpassing 2019’s spending by 20.86%.
Where do visitors to Brisbane come from?
In 2023, Brisbane received visitors from various locations, primarily from within Australia, with Sydney contributing 940,000 visitors and Melbourne 654,000 visitors.
- The city also attracted international visitors, including 219,000 from New Zealand, 120,000 from the UK, 99,000 from the USA, and 69,000 from China.
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Impact of Coronavirus – Brisbane Tourism Statistics 2020
In the year ending June 2020, Brisbane welcomed over 7.3 million visitors, generating over $6.2 billion in revenue.
- This figure was made up of 1.05 million international tourists, contributing $2.2 billion, and more than 6.3 million domestic visitors, who spent over $4 billion.
- Visitor numbers fell by 19.7% from the previous year’s 9.1 million, and expenditure decreased by 17.3% from the $7.5 billion in 2019.
Brisbane and the Gold Coast Tourism Statistics 2021
During the first quarter of 2021, domestic overnight visits to Brisbane and the Gold Coast totalled over 2.4 million, resulting in $1.81 billion in spending.
- This was a 9.2% increase in visitor numbers compared to the same period in 2020 while spending decreased by 1.1%.
Impact of Coronavirus – Brisbane Tourism Statistics 2021
The first quarter of 2021 showed recovery signs, with domestic overnight visits to Brisbane and the Gold Coast surpassing 2.4 million, and amounting to $1.81 billion in spending.
- This represented a 9.2% rise in visitor numbers from the same period in 2020, but spending was slightly down by 1.1%.
How popular is Brisbane as a tourist destination?
- Brisbane remained the third-most popular city destination for both international and domestic overnight visitors in Australia in the year ending June 2024.
How much money did Brisbane make from tourism in 2019?
The city’s tourism generated $7.6 billion from July 2018 to June 2019.
- Over $2.7 billion came from international visitors and $4.9 billion from domestic visitors.
How much did international tourists spend per night?
- Brisbane stood out for its appeal to international tourists, ranking sixth with an average spend of $100 per night.
How long do international tourists stay in Brisbane?
- In 2019, visitors tended to stay for an average of 19 nights, making Brisbane the 4th-ranked city for the length of stay among international tourists in Australia.
Top Attractions in Brisbane
- The Great Barrier Reef provides a stunning natural spectacle that can be enjoyed via a 30-minute helicopter flight also encompassing Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet.
- The Gold Coast is characterised by its beautiful beaches, surfing spots, and an array of theme parks such as Warner Bros Movie World and Sea World.
- The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary offers the signature Australian experience with over 130 koalas, and visitors can also hand-feed kangaroos.
- South Bank is a cultural and recreational precinct featuring the Wheel of Brisbane, Streets Beach, and plenty of dining and entertainment options.
- Mt. Coot-tha offers panoramic views of the city – perfect for a scenic escape within the city limits.
Australia Travel Statistics
References
- TRA: International Visitor Survey, National Visitor Survey – 2019 to 2023
- ChooseBrisbane: International Visitors Spending – 2019 and 2023
- TEQ: Brisbane Regional Snapshot – 2020 and 2021