The Gold Coast’s tourism sector continues to rebound with more people heading to the Glitter Strip while spending has hit record levels.
But tourism bosses warn there are potentially tough times ahead for the industry in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
The latest National and International Visitor Survey results from Tourism Research Australia show the Gold Coast welcomed 13 million visitors in the 12 months to December.
That’s up from 12.4 million visitors in the 12 months to September and up from 12.2 million who came here in 2023.
The number of domestic visitors to the Gold Coast was up from 4.1 million in 2023 to 4.3 million in 2024 with record visitation from the Sunshine Coast and New South Wales.
Tourists pumped a record $8.1 billion into the city’s economy, up 5.2 percent from the 12 months to September and up a massive 37 percent since 2019.
Experience Gold Coast CEO John Warn said the result is incredibly encouraging.
“This significant increase underscores the Gold Coast’s enduring appeal and strengthens our position as a world-class destination for tourism, business, education, and major events,” Mr Warn said.
Despite the strong results, tourism bosses say the city faces hurdles in the wake of the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
There are concerns the city will take a hit during the April holidays from tourists spooked by footage of our damaged beaches and infrastructure.
“The industry is doing it tough right now, but these record-breaking results are something to be proud of and I’m confident as a city we can recover and continue to build on the work we have done to date,” Mr Warn said.
“The Gold Coast is bouncing back, but we still have a massive job ahead, to support our tourism operators, accommodation providers and restaurants and cafes.”
