Festive season holidaymakers deliver $3 billion
Festive season holidays across Queensland delivered more than $3 billion to tourism operators and the State’s visitor economy.
From 10 December to 9 January, Queensland and interstate holidaymakers generated 15 million visitor nights, up almost 2.5 per cent on the 2021 festive season.
Initial Christmas school holiday data shows Queensland’s domestic tourism recovery remains on track and nation-leading.
By the end of the holidays, it’s predicted the total number of visitors traveling to Queensland’s world-class destinations will be more than 1.5 million.
The 2022-23 Christmas holiday season, the first since the lifting of national COVID restrictions, continues to benefit from Australians’ love of travel.
The number of interstate arrivals enjoying Queensland’s great holiday lifestyle jumped by 123 per cent during December alone, delivering a bumper Christmas for most destinations.
Tourism and Events Queensland data shows Brisbane leads the top five destinations for interstate arrivals, followed by the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, Tropical North Queensland and the Southern Great Barrier Reef
The demand for Christmas holiday accommodation in Queensland was up by almost 10 per cent.
Holiday accommodation occupancy on the Sunshine Coast and the Whitsundays is near capacity at 90 per cent with some providers booked out. On the Gold Coast, occupancy rates are at almost 84 per cent and have averaged up to 80 per cent in Tropical North Queensland including Cairns and Port Douglas.
Tourism Research Australia’s latest survey recorded 2.44 million overnight visitor trips in Queensland during October 2022.
The survey logged a five per cent increase in regional Queensland overnight visitor trips to 1.47 million when compared with October 2019, before the pandemic.
Overnight visitor spending across Queensland during October was up by almost $1 billion on pre-pandemic data.
The Queensland Government’s $200 million Attracting Aviation Investment Fund, in partnership with Queensland’s four international airports, continues to land more direct airline capacity from overseas.
More seats mean more overseas arrivals with New Zealand, the US, UK, Japan and India leading the State’s international tourism recovery.
In coming weeks, Tourism and Events Queensland will roll out a new suite of compelling Queensland holiday deals and experiences to drive extra domestic visitor demand during February and March.