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Brisbane’s visitor economy reached a record $17 billion in 2025, driven by a surge in international spending and strong domestic demand, according to new tourism data.
Tourism Research Australia figures for the year to December show international visitor spending in Brisbane rose 14.8 per cent to $3.6 billion, the highest on record. Total visitor expenditure, including domestic travel and day trips, reached $17 billion.
The data, released by the Commonwealth agency on Monday, shows 1.3 million international visitors stayed a total of 27.3 million nights in Brisbane over the year. Of those, 614,000 were holidaymakers, up 6.3 per cent year-on-year, with international visitor nights rising 13.8 per cent to a record 8.1 million.
Brisbane Economic Development Agency chief executive Anthony Ryan said major events and destination marketing continued to play a key role in driving demand.
“Major events are helping fill hotels and attract visitors, while domestic travel continues to account for the majority of visitor spending,” he said.
Ryan said BEDA would focus on maintaining domestic demand while continuing to grow international visitation through targeted engagement in key markets.
Domestic travel continued to underpin the city’s visitor economy, according to the TRA data, with Brisbane accounting for 36 per cent of Queensland’s domestic visitor spending. Domestic expenditure reached $13.4 billion, supported by 9.6 million overnight visitors who stayed 27 million nights.
Day trips also played a significant role, with Brisbane attracting 49 per cent of such trips taken in Queensland. Day trip expenditure in the city reached $4.5 billion.
New Zealand, the United Kingdom and China were Brisbane’s largest international source markets, while New South Wales and Victoria accounted for the biggest share of domestic visitors.
UK visitation increased 9.6 per cent to 155,000 visitors, with holiday travel from the UK rising more sharply. Holiday visitor numbers from the UK were up 28.3 per cent, while holiday nights more than doubled – growth coinciding with major events including the British and Irish Lions rugby tour and the Ashes cricket.
Japan also recorded a new high, with visitor numbers increasing 17.3 per cent year-on-year.
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the figures reflected growing interest in the city from both international and domestic travellers.
“Brisbane offers a strong mix of culture, outdoor experiences and major events,” he said.
“These results put the city in a solid position as global travel conditions remain uncertain.”
The TRA results came as Brisbane prepared for a busy calendar of major events, including NRL Magic Round and the Brisbane Festival, alongside longer-term preparations for the next year’s Rugby World Cup.
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