Record visitor spending of $43.7 billion has pushed Victoria ahead of Queensland in national tourism rankings.
Latest data from Tourism Research Australia shows Victoria now holds 24.7 per cent of Australia’s total visitor spend, knocking Queensland off second place behind New South Wales.
International visitor spending jumped 20 per cent year-on-year, cementing Victoria’s position as a tourism powerhouse that’s absolutely smashing it on the national stage.
The state’s major events calendar has been doing the heavy lifting here, with international visitation up 11.5 per cent and visitor nights increasing by 21.5 per cent in the year ending June 2025. Partnerships with international businesses and airlines are clearly paying off, bringing more overseas visitors to Victorian shores than ever before.
Victoria tourism statistics
- What: Record $43.7 billion in visitor spending
- International growth: 20% increase in spending, 11.5% rise in visitation
- Nights stayed: Up 21.5% for international visitors
- Market position: Second highest state for visitor spend, overtaking Queensland
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India has become Victoria’s breakout star market, with visitor spending rocketing 78.9 per cent compared to last year. Victoria now leads all states for visitors, nights and spending from Indian travellers, thanks to the government’s India Strategy and that blockbuster Boxing Day Test between Australia and India that had cricket fans booking flights left and right.
China remains Victoria’s biggest international spender, though, dropping $3.1 billion in the year ending June 2025; a solid 24.6 per cent jump from the previous year. Melbourne’s still beating Sydney as the top interstate overnight destination, with interstate travellers clocking up three million nights in the June 2025 quarter alone.
Hotels across Melbourne CBD and Greater Melbourne had their busiest-ever months in January, March, April, May, June, July and August for nights booked. Regional Victoria isn’t being left behind either, with Victorians spending $1.8 billion across 9.8 million nights in regional areas during the June quarter, while international visitors pumped $832 million into regional Victoria over the past financial year.
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