If proof were ever needed that tourism recovery is no longer a talking point but a balance-sheet reality, Tropical North Queensland has just delivered it—sun-drenched, reef-rimmed and unapologetically strong.
The region has emerged as Queensland’s standout tourism performer after recording its highest-ever international visitor spend, powered by a $15 million injection from the Federal Government’s Tourism Recovery Program and a relentless push into global markets. The result: more visitors, longer stays, deeper wallets and thousands of regional jobs shored up in the process.
According to Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ), international visitation climbed 14.6 per cent to 595,000 visitors in the year to September 2025. That translated into a record $1.1 billion in international visitor spend, an 18.5 per cent increase year on year, numbers that would make even the most hardened tourism economist crack a smile.
TTNQ chief executive Mark Olsen said the growth was not only strong but strategically earned.
“The International Visitor Survey also showed that visitor nights jumped by 19.9 per cent to 5.8 million, with the average length of stay growing by 0.4 to 9.7 nights, and the average spend per visitor increasing by 3.4 per cent to $1910,” Mr Olsen said.
In other words, visitors are staying longer, spending more, and behaving less like tourists and more like temporary locals—always the gold standard for regional economies.
North America Takes the Lead
The United States retained its crown as Tropical North Queensland’s most significant international source market, growing 9.2 per cent to 94,000 visitors. Canada, meanwhile, surged 18.2 per cent to 21,000, lifting the total North American market to 115,000 visitors, a 10.7 per cent increase.
Much of that momentum, Mr Olsen noted, was helped by improved air access.
“This growth was helped by the launch of Fiji Airways services in April 2025 which reduced the flight time to the US to just 16 hours,” he said.
In aviation terms, shaving hours off long-haul travel is the equivalent of opening a new front door—and North Queensland has been quick to welcome the knock.
UK, New Zealand and Asia Reignite
The United Kingdom and New Zealand both surged past their pre-pandemic 2019 benchmarks. UK visitation rose 5.9 per cent to 79,000, while New Zealand jumped an eye-watering 48.3 per cent to 40,000 visitors, fuelled by Jetstar’s new direct Christchurch–Cairns services launched in April.
Asia also delivered solid gains. While Japan, previously the region’s strongest Asian market, declined 8.2 per cent to 91,000, China rebounded sharply, up 62.6 per cent to 43,000 visitors, supported by the return of Cathay Pacific’s seasonal services, which are continuing through the Lunar New Year period.
Overall, Asia grew 17.7 per cent to 194,000 visitors, underscoring renewed confidence in long-haul travel and Australia’s enduring pull as a premium destination.
Europe Holds Its Ground
Continental Europe posted a net gain of 8.2 per cent to 130,000 visitors, buoyed by standout growth from the Netherlands, up 32.7 per cent to 16,000. That growth offset declines from Germany (down 18.7 per cent to 29,000) and France (down 21.6 per cent to 13,000), reflecting uneven recovery patterns across European markets.
Government Investment Delivers Returns
At the heart of the surge sits a clear policy outcome. The Federal Government’s $15 million investment enabled TTNQ to deliver a record 110 international marketing campaigns in 2024–25, directly generating an estimated 205,000 additional visitors and supporting more than 1,500 jobs across the region.
“These results demonstrate the success of the Federal Government’s investment into the International Tourism Recovery Program for our region,” Mr Olsen said.
In regional Australia, where tourism dollars ripple quickly through accommodation, hospitality, aviation and retail, that return on investment carries real weight.
Domestic Tourism Adds Muscle
International growth has been matched by robust domestic performance. Under the newly introduced Domestic Tourism Survey, Tropical North Queensland ranked in the top 15 regions nationally for total and holiday overnight visitor expenditure.
Domestic visitor spending reached $2.4 billion, representing 8.7 per cent of Queensland’s market, while overnight visitor expenditure stood at $2.2 billion, a commanding 10.6 per cent share. Day-trip expenditure added a further $191.6 million.
The region welcomed 1.39 million overnight visitors, accounting for 7 per cent of Queensland’s total, generating 5.4 million nights. At 4.1 nights, the average length of stay exceeded both the Queensland average (3.6 nights) and the national benchmark (3.4 nights).
Perhaps most telling of all, Tropical North Queensland recorded the highest spend per visitor nationally at $1,657, comfortably above Queensland’s $1,082 and Australia’s $952.
In tourism, as in life, quality beats quantity, and right now, Tropical North Queensland is delivering both.
by Soo James – (c) 2025
Read Time: 5 minutes.
About the Writer.
There’s nothing predictable about Soo James, and that’s precisely her charm. Of Malaysian descent, she set down academic roots at the University of New South Wales, majoring in Arts, before veering off into the unlikeliest of places: IT. It mightn’t sound romantic, but somewhere between data strings and deadlines, Soo found a fascination with how people and words connect.
What began as a curiosity soon turned into a craft. Over time, her writing slipped effortlessly into travel blogs and lifestyle features, each piece marked by her dry wit and a mind that notices the small, telling details others might miss. She writes with a traveller’s eye and a local’s heart, grounded, observant, and quietly amused by the world’s contradictions. Today, at Global Travel Media, Soo’s words do what travel should always do: take readers somewhere new, even if only for a few minutes.
