The latest Tourism Research Australia data for the year ending December 2024 shows visitors spent 53.7 million nights in the Queensland capital, contributing to the record multibillion-dollar spend and outpacing national and state trends.

Brisbane’s business travel sector is flying high with domestic business visitors increasing 13.5 per cent year-on-year to 2.1 million, and business visitor nights rising 30.5 per cent year-on-year to a record 5.8 million.

Visitors to Brisbane from Victoria are up a record 28.1 per cent year-on-year to 1.1 million, and visitors from NSW are up 18.1 per cent year-on-year to two million.

The city has also welcomed record numbers of visitors from Asia with 18.2 million visitor nights, led by South Korea at 2.8 million nights – up 37.2 per cent on 2019.

Indonesian traveller nights jumped by a record 127.5 per cent in the same period.

International visitors are staying longer in Brisbane, increasing their average length of stay to 22 nights, up by 3.7 nights.

“Brisbane is Australia’s lifestyle capital, and our booming visitor economy is a win for local jobs and businesses,” says Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner.

“With world-class dining, accommodation and tourism, there is more to see and do in Brisbane than ever before.

“International and interstate visitors are captivated by Brisbane’s vibrant lifestyle precincts and tourism offerings, opting to extend their stays and make the most of their time in Brisbane.

“Whether it’s for business or leisure, demand from international and interstate visitors continues to soar, driving growth across the city and making Brisbane even better.”

Brisbane Economic Development Agency’s chief executive officer, Anthony Ryan, echoes this sentiment as the city continues its rise as a world-class leisure and business destination.

“Building on brand Brisbane, BEDA and key partners are elevating the city’s profile by securing global business conferences, major events and investment opportunities,” he says.

“In a stunning two-year transformation, expanded aviation networks have ignited a tourism boom, shattering records with an unprecedented $11.3 billion in visitor spending and a record-breaking 18.2 million visitor nights from Asia.

“While the year started with some challenges, these results prove Brisbane is well positioned to sustain its tourism momentum, driving long-term economic benefits into 2025.”