New Tourism Research Australia data has revealed visitors spent more than $2.03 billion across Moreton Bay in the year ending March 2026.
The latest National Visitor Survey and International Visitor Survey data shows 6.44 million visitors travelled to Moreton Bay over the 12-month period.
That generated 6.86 million visitor nights and delivered record economic benefits to local businesses.
It shows a shift towards higher-value visitation, with visitors staying longer, spending more and engaging with a broader range of experiences.
Domestic overnight visitors spent an average of $671 per trip, with holiday visitor nights increasing 9.7 per cent and commercial accommodation nights rising 5.2 per cent.
Visitor nights associated with attractions increasing 11.6 per cent, while arts and heritage experiences increased 11.9 per cent and nature-based experiences rose 10.8 per cent.
The domestic day market also continued to strengthen, with 4.58 million visitors contributing an average spend of $151 per visitor, driving a 6.9 per cent increase in expenditure.
Spending on arts and heritage experiences increased 16.8 per cent, while expenditure at local attractions grew 4.7 per cent.
International visitors spent $124.5 million across Moreton Bay, holiday expenditure rose 14 per cent, hotel and resort spending 11.5 per cent.
Arts and heritage spending increased 14.2 per cent, while visitor nights from New Zealand grew 5.8 per cent.
“These results are about much more than visitor numbers – they demonstrate the opportunity that exists for tourism businesses to invest in Moreton Bay,” Tourism and Events Moreton Bay CEO Luke Edwards said.
“We’re seeing visitors stay longer, spend more and seek out a broader range of experiences across the region.
“That’s creating real opportunities for accommodation providers, attractions, hospitality businesses and tourism operators.
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“As we look towards Brisbane 2032, Moreton Bay is uniquely positioned. Businesses that invest in Moreton Bay today are investing in a destination with enormous momentum and an incredibly exciting future.”
Edwards acknowledged while the annual data paints a positive long-term picture, the tourism industry has experienced more challenging trading conditions in recent months.
“Like many destinations in Queensland and Australia, we’ve seen softer trading conditions since May, particularly for experience-based tourism operators, as consumer confidence was impacted by broader economic uncertainty and fuel supply disruption,” he said.
“Tourism is a long game. That’s why continuing to invest in destination marketing, industry capability and growing awareness of Moreton Bay is so important. It ensures we’re building demand not just for today, but for the years ahead.”
