The results are in and it’s official, Southern Queensland Country is the go-to travel destination! Data released from TEQ (Tourism & Events Queensland) showed that Overnight Visitor Expenditure (year ending December 2023), peaked at $1.4 billion -up 6.5 per cent on 2022 figures.
Visitors also booked a total of 7.6 million nights across the year, breaking previously held visitation records for the region. These results notably show that what has been a tumultuous landscape in visitor economy, consumer travel sentiment towards Southern Queensland Country is holding fast and maintaining strength compared to other Queensland destinations.
Southern Queensland Country Tourism CEO, Peter Homan attributes these strong results to the region’s diverse offerings.
“There is so much to love about Southern Queensland Country – from the abundant natural assets including awe-inspiring National Parks, waterways, and clear undiluted night skies, to artisanal, paddock to plate dining, and true country characters (both human and animal), there is an experience for every traveller,” Mr Homan said.
The research indicates that the experiences sought by both domestic and international visitors encompass beautiful natural environments, opportunities to explore natural wonders, authentic indigenous experiences, and encounters with diverse and intriguing local wildlife, all of which rank among the most sought-after activities. Additionally, good food and wine rank highly.
“We also attribute these fantastic figures to the ease of accessing our naturally gifted region. From Brisbane, there are as little as six traffic lights between the city edge and the beginning of our perimeters at the Lockyer Valley and Somerset Regions. Perfect for a weekend getaway or for a longer holiday, in just an hour’s drive, you can feel worlds aways and discover a completely different lifestyle. One that’s calmer and instantly makes your spirits rise.”
TEQ statistics also revealed that Southern Queensland Country’s largest visitation coming from Brisbane, attributed to 2.9 million nights across 2023, up a record 11.1 per cent on 2022 figures.
Other notable National Visitor Survey (NVS) record results (year ending December 2023) are:
SQC Business Nights 2.2 million nights up 17 per cent (from 2022).
SQC Interregional visitation 501,000 visitors up 19.6 per cent (from 2022).
SQC Interstate Nights 2.2 million nights up 17 per cent (from 2022).
