News & Blogs

The latest results from Tourism Research Australia were released this month, with the numbers showing that Queensland holds the position as the nation’s leading domestic holiday market, with 28.1 per cent market share of the country’s holiday expenditure in 2023. Overall, Queensland operators once again benefited from Australians choosing to holiday in our state, with total domestic overnight visitor expenditure climbing to $28.3 billion in 2023.

We kicked off this month with our first member networking event of the year. It was fantastic to see more than 100 of our members altogether in one room – reaffirming old friendships, connecting with new faces, and making new partnerships. So much of our success is linked with collaboration and to see all sectors of our industry coming together to share ideas and to trade contact details fills me with hope for the year ahead.

For many in our tourism community, the past holiday period and start to the new year has been a very difficult one. While, as Queenslanders, we are no stranger to damaging weather events, the consecutive natural disasters that battered our coast have created a big setback for businesses. Although many operators were spared from physical damage, the loss of income through cancellations and reduced bookings has taken a major economic toll on our industry.

Dear Members,

As we approach Queensland Tourism week and the Queensland Tourism Awards, I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for your continued support of QTIC. Your dedication to QTIC has been a cornerstone of our shared success, and I want to thank each and every one of you.

September saw me travelling to Canberra for the Australian Tourism Industry Council (ATIC) quarterly board meeting. Made up of all the state and territory tourism industry councils, including QTIC, our respective councils discussed the issues most affecting tourism businesses. I am sure it will come as no surprise, but top of the agenda was the ongoing skills and labour shortage as well as evolving insurance troubles.

Over the past month, I have taken to the road and headed into region to connect with QTIC members and tourism operators. From the Whitsundays to Southern Queensland Country, local knowledge, experience, and expertise was on display and I thank all the businesses who took the time to speak with me.  

The trip into Southern Queensland Country was particularly special as it was not just me visiting Queensland’s spring heartland, but I joined the QTIC Board as we stayed in Toowoomba. Local businesses treated us to walking tours of the city and community icons, and, thanks to Southern Queensland Country Tourism, we held a networking event and industry round table, where local voices could be heard.

Recently, I have found myself in deep discussions on the skills shortage gripping our tourism industry. From on-the-ground operators and QTIC members to government representatives and leaders in the private sector, the workforce topic is on everyone’s mind and lips.

While it can be tempting to leave the past in the dust, it is important to highlight the difference between Queensland’s pre-pandemic tourism landscape and today’s operating environment. The comparison paints a clearer picture for us moving forward.

As we turn the page on another financial year, it is fantastic to close the last six months with the news that Queensland is Australia’s top holiday destination. The latest data from Tourism Research Australia (TRA) shows that, in the year ended March 2023, our state set new benchmarks of success by welcoming a record 26 million domestic visitors, who spent a record $29.3 billion. Most notably, spending records were broken by almost all our state’s regions. A testament to the popularity and visitor appeal of all Queensland’s unique landscapes.