Gold Coast Tourism Statistics

Tourists spend over AUD 6.9 billion each year on the Gold Coast.

• Total tourist spending reached AUD 5.03 billion before the pandemic in 2019, and AUD 6.61 billion in total spending in 2023, 31% higher than 2019 levels.
• Total tourist spending continued to grow to AUD 6.93 billion in 2024, 38% higher than pre-pandemic figures.

How much do tourists spend on the Gold Coast in 2024?

Tourism spending reached AUD 6.93 billion in 2024.

• In 2024, domestic tourists contributed approximately 83% (AUD 5.76 billion), while international visitors accounted for approximately 17% (AUD 1.17 billion) of the total spending.
• This represents an approximately 5% increase from 2023 and stands 38% higher than the pre-pandemic figure of AUD 5.03 billion in 2019.

How much do tourists spend on the Gold Coast in 2023?

Tourism spending reached AUD 6.61 billion in 2023.

• In 2023, domestic tourists contributed approximately 83% (AUD 5.48 billion), while international visitors accounted for approximately 17% (AUD 1.13 billion) of the total spending.
• This represents an approximately 31% higher over the pre-pandemic level of AUD 5.03 billion in 2019.

How much does it cost to visit the Gold Coast?

All visitors to the Gold Coast spent an average of AUD 1,406 per trip in 2024

• Domestic visitors: Spent around AUD 1,300 per trip on average, with daily expenditure of approximately AUD 370 per person based on an average stay of 3.5 nights.
• International visitors: Spent approximately AUD 1,800-1,900 per trip on average, with daily expenditure of roughly AUD 140-150 per day based on longer stays of around 12.5 nights.

People visit the Gold Coast for leisure travel, which accounts for 58% of visitors engaging in holiday activities, enjoying the Gold Coast's beaches, theme parks, and entertainment in 2024.

• Visiting Friends & Relatives: This purpose makes up 27% of visitors, representing the second-largest travel purpose in 2024.
• Business Purposes: Business travelers account for 12% of visitors, attending conferences, meetings, and professional engagements in 2024.
• Education/Other: Education-related travel and other purposes comprise the remaining 3% of visitors in 2024.

The best time to visit the Gold Coast depends on weather preferences and crowd tolerance.

• April-May (Autumn): Considered the ideal time with sunny days, warm temperatures, and lower humidity, representing pleasant shoulder season conditions.
• September-October (Spring): Another excellent shoulder season with warm weather and fewer crowds.
• June-August (Winter): Popular for mild, dry weather, especially appealing to visitors from southern Australia.
• December-January (Summer): Peak season with hot weather but also the highest crowds and more rainfall.

About 4.67 nights was the weighted average length of stay across all overnight visitors in the Gold Coast in 2024.

• Domestic visitors: Typically stay 3 to 4 nights on average (approximately 3.5 nights for overnight trips), reflecting long-weekend and school holiday trips.
• International visitors: Stay much longer at around 12.5 nights on average, as the Gold Coast is often one stop on a broader Australian tour, where overseas travelers spend 1-2 weeks enjoying the Coast's beaches and theme parks.

• Domestic visitors dropped to approximately 2.22 million in 2020, a significant decline from 4.2 million domestic visitors in 2019.
• Domestic tourist spending declined dramatically, falling from AUD 3.69 billion in domestic spending in 2019 to approximately AUD 1.85 billion in 2020.
• By 2022, domestic tourism boomed with 4.12 million domestic visitors and AUD 5.13 billion in domestic spending as Australians eager to travel generated record domestic expenditure.
• International borders reopened in February 2022, but overseas tourism returned slowly, reaching about 59% of pre-COVID levels by 2024 (0.64 million international visitors).

• The Gold Coast Marathon (July) annually attracts over 27,000 participants, with approximately 15,000 being international runners from 50+ countries and generating approximately $28.9 million in economic impact, with 104,000 visitor nights.
• Supercars Gold Coast 500 (October) draws approximately 198,000 spectators over three days, with 38% being interstate or international visitors, resulting in an economic impact of approximately $40 million per event.
• Schoolies Week (late November) registers about 20,000 school leavers annually, including approximately 2,500 from interstate, resulting in an economic impact of approximately $25 million over the three-week period.
• Bleach Festival (spring) features 120+ performances annually and attracts approximately 50,000 attendees, with 22% being visitors from outside the Gold Coast region.
• SWELL Sculpture Festival (September) showcases 65 sculptures annually from 230 artists and draws approximately 275,000 visitors over 10 days, generating about $4.5 million in economic impact.
• Magic Millions Carnival (January) features 600+ yearlings sold annually for a total of approximately $180 million in sales, drawing 5,600 registered buyers including 20% international purchasers.

• Surfers Paradise: Approximately 4.5 million visitors annually visit Surfers Paradise, with the beachfront experiencing 42,000 daily visitors during peak season.
• Theme Parks: Around 5 million visits are recorded annually to the Gold Coast's major theme parks; examples include Warner Bros. Movie World receiving 1.3 million visits, Dreamworld 1 million visits, and SeaWorld 900,000 visits.
• Hinterland: Approximately 1.8 million visitors annually explore the Gold Coast Hinterland, with 42% being international tourists pre-pandemic.
• Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary: Welcomes about 600,000 visitors annually, with international tourists accounting for approximately 35% of all visitors.
• Shopping Precincts: Major shopping centers record approximately 28 million combined visits annually, with tourists accounting for about 40% of retail spending.
• SkyPoint Observation Deck: Attracts approximately 350,000 visitors annually to the Q1 Tower, which stands 322 meters tall.