The Whitsundays records highest ever international visitor spend

The Whitsundays records highest ever international visitor spend, up 26.9% to $273 million

MEDIA RELEASE - 2 OCTOBER 2026

Tourism Whitsundays (TW) today released results from the Tourism Research Australia International Visitor Survey and Domestic Tourism Statistics for the year ending June 2026, confirming $273 million in international visitor expenditure, up 26.9% year-on-year.

International results

International visitor expenditure in The Whitsundays is on the rise, with a sharp increase in expenditure recorded over the past 12 months. International holidaymakers are now staying longer and spending more in the region: the total number of visitors remains steady at 177,000, while average length of stay has increased to 7.8 nights, and average spend per visitor has risen 22.8% to $1,542.

Visitation from the USA has increased strongly year-on-year, rising 21.9% and generating more than 20,000 visits. Meanwhile, continental Europe continues to represent the largest source market for the region with 71,000 visitors, and visitation from Asia has grown rapidly by 124.5% over this period to contribute 24,000 visitors.

Domestic results

Domestically, The Whitsundays recorded $997 milion in total visitor expenditure for the year ending June 2026, representing a 2.7% share of all domestic spend in Queendland. A total of 678,000 domestic travellers stayed overnight in the region, with 432,000 visiting from within Queensland, and a further 246,000 coming from interstate. Of those interstate travellers, more than half (154,000) haled from New South Wales. Interstate visitation accounted for $438.9 million and represented a 4.1% share of all interstate spend in Queensland.

Tim Booth, CEO, Tourism Whitsundays, said these results highlight The Whitsundays' position as one of Australia's leading travel destinations.

"International expenditure is at an all time high and visitors from around the world are now staying longer in the region than ever before, indicating that global markets have real confidence in The Whitsundays and the experiences on offer here.

"Despite Cyclone Koji falling in this same reporting period, we've continued to drive demand across both international and domestic markets over the past 12 months and seen exceptional results across the board.

"The role of our dedicated operators and tourism community in driving this success cannot be understated - they continue to innovate and create experiences that draw visitors back time and time again, cementing our position as one of the most economically strong destinations not only in Queensland, but across the country."

Key statistics — year ending June 2026

International Visitor Survey (IVS)

• International expenditure: $273 million, up 26.9% (record)
• International visitors: 177,000, up 3.4%
• Visitor nights: 1.4 million, up 221%
• Average length of stay: 7.8 nights, up 1.2 nights
• Spend per visitor night: $199, up 3.9%
• Spend per visitor: $1,542, up 22.8%
• Continental Europe: 71,000 visitors
• United Kingdom: 41,000 visitors

Domestic Tourism Statistics (DoTS)

• Total visitor expenditure: $997 million, 2.7% of Queensland total
• Day trip expenditure: $87.5 million, 0.9% of Queensland total
• Overnight visitors: 678,000
• Visitor nights: 2.5 million
• VFR visitors: 190,000; VFR expenditure: $189.3 million
• Interstate expenditure: $438.9 million
• Intrastate expenditure: $473.6 million