Records broken: Brisbane attracts 25% more Chinese visitors

A RECORD influx of visitors from China and the United States have helped to again smash Brisbane’s tourism records.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said preliminary results from Tourism Australia’s International Visitor Survey revealed that visitors from Brisbane’s top five international markets had increased.

“In the year to June 2018, Chinese visitors increased by 24.6 percent to a record 259,000,” Cr Quirk said.

“Visitors from the USA climbed a sharp 8.6 percent to a record 100,000.

“These results were enhanced by 209,000 visitors from the New Zealand (up 9.5 percent), 132,000 from the UK (up 1.3 percent) and 60,000 from Germany (up 3.4 percent).

“These results have contributed to a record 1.4 million international visitors heading to our city overall, with expenditure reaching an all-time high of $2.5 billion over the year.” 

The percentage increase in tourism expenditure in Brisbane was a staggering three times higher than the national average. Overall spend in Brisbane was up 15.7 percent, compared with a 4.8 percent increase nationally. This totaled $2.5 billion in the year to June.

Cr Quirk said the city’s growing reputation as a tourism destination of choice and its “strong calendar of major events” had contributed to the rises. 

“Brisbane is a great place to visit – it’s a safe, vibrant, green and prosperous city, valued for its friendly and optimistic character and enjoyable subtropical lifestyle,” he said.

“A strong calendar of major events is also a major drawcard, with highlights including the Bledisloe Cup Rugby Test, the Ashes cricket, the Rugby League World Cup finals, Brisbane International (tennis) and World Science Festival Brisbane.”

The city’s economic development board, Brisbane Marketing, works with Tourism Australia, Tourism and Events Queensland, Brisbane Airport Corporation and airline partners on marketing and trade activities in various markets.

RECORD VISITOR NUMBERS

Both the national inbound tourism figures and Queensland’s are at record highs.

Australia recorded a record 8.4million visitors over the last financial year – up 6.2 percent on the previous year.

National overnight visitor expenditure (OVE) was $29.2 billion – another record up 4.8 percent over the previous year.

Queensland international visitor numbers climbed to 2.7million, a record increase of 4.1 percent over the previous year. Total OVE in Queensland was a record $5.7 billion, and increase of 8.1 percent.

Brisbane’s international visitor results, for the year-ending June 2018, saw all records broken, with overall visitors up 10 percent to 1.4 million and expenditure up 15.7 percent to $2.5 billion.

Top market for Brisbane was China, up 24.6% percent to a record 259,000. Next was New Zealand, with its own record of 9.5 percent annual growth to 209,000.

The UK was Brisbane’s third largest market, with visitation up 1.3 percent to 132,000. Fourth was the US, with a record 100,000 representing 8.6 percent annual growth.

Also impressive was source market Germany, producing a 3.4 percent annual growth of 60,000 visitors.

www.brisbanemarketing.com.au

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