Great Barrier Reef Tourism Statistics

Page last updated: 6 July 2025

Located on the northeast coast of Australia is the Great Barrier Reef, a site of natural beauty and home to a multitude of marine animals. It has the world’s largest collection of coral reefs, with 1,500 types of fish and 4,000 types of mollusks.

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How many people visit the Great Barrier Reef each year?

Over 2.3 million tourists visit the Great Barrier Reef each year, and in 2024, the number of visitors reached approximately 2.34 million.

Before the pandemic, visitor numbers peaked at 2.62 million in 2017, while in 2023, the reef recorded 2.13 million visitors, approximately 81% of pre-pandemic levels

The Great Barrier Reef recorded approximately 2.34 million total visitors in 2024, about 89% of the pre-pandemic peak.

How many people visited the Great Barrier Reef in 2025?

Over 540,000 tourists had visited the Great Barrier Reef in the year to March 2025.

How many people visited the Great Barrier Reef in 2024?

The Great Barrier Reef welcomed 2.34 million overall visitors in 2024.

In 2024, domestic tourists accounted for approximately 75% (1.76 million), while international visitors comprised approximately 25% (0.58 million) of the total arrivals in the Great Barrier Reef.

How many tourists visit the Great Barrier Reef each day?

The Great Barrier Reef welcomes an average of 6,410 visitors daily in 2024, approaching the pre-pandemic peak of 7,178 daily visitors recorded in 2017.

How much do visitors spend at the Great Barrier Reef every year?

Tourists spend over AUD 6 billion each year on the Great Barrier Reef.

Total tourist spending reached AUD 5.89 billion before the pandemic in 2019, and AUD 5.8 billion in total spending in 2023, 98% of 2019 levels.

Total tourist spending continued to grow to AUD 6.4 billion in 2024, 9% higher than pre-pandemic figures.

How much do tourists spend on the Great Barrier Reef in 2024?

Tourism spending reached AUD 6.4 billion in 2024.

In 2024, domestic tourists contributed approximately 70% (AUD 4.48 billion), while international visitors accounted for approximately 30% (AUD 1.92 billion) of the total spending.

This represents an approximately 10% increase from 2023 and stands 9% higher than the pre-pandemic figure of AUD 5.89 billion in 2019.

How much do tourists spend on the Great Barrier Reef in 2023?

Tourism spending reached AUD 5.8 billion in 2023.

In 2023, domestic tourists contributed approximately 78% (AUD 4.52 billion), while international visitors accounted for approximately 22% (AUD 1.28 billion) of the total spending.

This represents approximately 98% of the pre-pandemic level of AUD 5.89 billion in 2019.

How much does it cost to visit the Great Barrier Reef?

All visitors to the Great Barrier Reef spent an average of AUD 2,735 per trip in 2024

Domestic visitors: Spent around AUD 2,545 per trip on average, with daily expenditure of approximately AUD 499 per person based on an average stay of 5.1 nights.

International visitors: Spent approximately AUD 3,312 per trip on average, with daily expenditure of roughly AUD 304 per day based on longer stays of around 10.9 nights.

Which countries visited the Great Barrier Reef the most?

China accounts for the largest share of international visitors, making up 28% of international visitors in 2024.

Other key source markets include the United States (16%), the United Kingdom (13%), Japan (11%), and New Zealand (9%) in 2024.

Great Barrier Reef Travel Resources

Why do people visit the Great Barrier Reef?

People visit the Great Barrier Reef for leisure travel, which accounts for 71% of visitors engaging in holiday activities, enjoying the Great Barrier Reef’s marine life, coral viewing, and island experiences in 2024.

Visiting Friends & Relatives: This purpose makes up 16% of visitors, representing the second-largest travel purpose in 2024.

Business Purposes: Business travelers account for 10% 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.

Impact of COVID-19 on Great Barrier Reef Tourism (2020-2021)

Total visitors dropped to approximately 0.96 million in 2020, a 60% decline from 2.40 million visitors in 2019.

Tourist spending declined, with an estimated AUD 3.5 billion in tourism revenue lost in 2020.

Recovery began in 2021 with 1.25 million visitors, still 48% below 2019’s pre-pandemic levels.

International borders reopened in February 2022, leading to gradual recovery with 2.03 million visitors in 2022.

By 2024, visitation reached 2.34 million, recovering to 98% of 2019 levels.

Government support included Environmental Management Charge waivers and AUD 15 million federal marketing programs.

How popular is the Great Barrier Reef as a tourist destination?

The Great Barrier Reef is consistently ranked among the world’s top natural tourist destinations, with widespread recognition both domestically and internationally.

Ranked as the 1st World’s Best Island by Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards in 2023.

Listed as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World alongside Mount Everest and the Grand Canyon.

Named World’s Best Place to Visit by U.S. News & World Report in 2016.

Whitehaven Beach crowned #1 Best Beach on Earth by Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2025.

UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981, covering 344,400 square kilometers.

Attracts over 1 million snorkelers and divers annually, making it the world’s premier diving destination.

Home to 1,500+ species of fish, 400 types of coral, and 30 species of whales and dolphins.

When is the best time to visit the Great Barrier Reef?

The best time to visit the Great Barrier Reef depends on weather preferences and marine conditions.

June-October (Winter/Spring): Considered the ideal time with calm seas, excellent visibility, and minimal rainfall, representing the absolute peak season.

September-October (Spring): Optimal conditions with warm water, great visibility, and fewer crowds than the peak winter months.

April-May (Autumn): Another excellent period with good weather and marine conditions before the winter rush.

December-March (Summer): Wet season with higher temperatures, marine stingers, and potential cyclones, but fewer tourists.

What are the peak tourist months in the Great Barrier Reef?

July and August are the peak tourist months in Great Barrier Reef tourism in 2024.

July is the busiest month, accounting for 11% of total visitors, followed by August with 10%.

June sees about 9%, and September also accounts for 9% of annual visitors.

Economic Impact – Great Barrier Reef Tourism Statistics 2024

Tourism directly contributed AUD 6.4 billion to the economy in 2024, representing the reef’s largest economic value.

Tourism supports over 64,000 jobs (direct & indirect) across the reef regions, representing approximately 1 in 5 jobs in key cities like Cairns.

The reef generates approximately AUD 17.5 million per day for the Queensland economy through tourism activities.

Tropical North Queensland alone welcomed 2.8 million overnight visitors who spent AUD 4.72 billion in the year to March 2024.

The Whitsundays region achieved record domestic tourism spending of AUD 1.5 billion in 2024.

The reef’s total asset value (including brand and ecological value) is estimated at AUD 56 billion.

Tourism operators pay an Environmental Management Charge of AUD 7-8 per visitor per day, contributing to reef conservation.

What tours do visitors take at the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park?

2.34 million tourists enjoyed Full-Day Trips in 2024. Visitors enjoyed trips lasting three hours or more at the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Part-Day Trips: 226,329 tourists participated in tours lasting less than three hours, including arrivals after 5 pm or departures before 6 am.
Exempt Visits: 224,241 visitors were recorded under the exemption category, which includes children under 4 years of age, industry professionals on familiarisation tours, and those exempt from paying the Environmental Management Charge (EMC).

How many tourists go Coral Reef Viewing in the Great Barrier Reef in 2024?

Approximately 206,095 visitors enjoyed coral viewing experiences in 2024, using semi-submersible or glass-bottom boats.

How many tourists go Scenic Flights in the Great Barrier Reef in 2024?

A total of 108,199 visitors do scenic flights in 2024 year ending June, Tourists experienced an aerial perspective of the Marine Park.