Queensland remains a favourite holiday destination for Southerners according to new figures released yesterday.

Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games Jann Stuckey said Tourism Research Australia’s latest National Visitor Survey revealed more than 2.5 million interstate holidaymakers visited Queensland in the year to June 2013, a 10 per cent increase on the year prior.

“Queensland’s key interstate markets of Sydney and Melbourne recorded a combined 17 per cent increase with 1.4 million holidaymakers travelling to the state,” Ms Stuckey said.  

“The State’s popularity with Sydneysiders in particular soared 30 per cent to 785,000 holidaymakers during the year, supported by an increase in flights to destinations such as the Gold Coast.

“Queensland also proved a holiday favourite with Australian families, with the number of interstate holiday visitors travelling with a family increasing 23 per cent.

“Overall, Australian holidaymakers continued to spend more and stay longer in Queensland compared with anywhere else in the country.”

Ms Stuckey said the figures were the result of extensive marketing by Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) in partnership with Queensland’s regional tourism organisations.

“Between January and July this year, nine major marketing campaigns were developed by TEQ in partnership with regional tourism organisations to remind Australians of the range of holiday experiences on offer in Queensland,” she said.  

In total, domestic travel to Queensland, including business travellers, holidaymakers and those visiting friends and relatives, increased by three per cent, with 18 million Australians spending 75.3 million nights and more than $14 billion during visits in the year to June 2013.

“The results are a testament to Queensland’s tourism industry following what was a tough start to 2013 for many operators impacted by weather events,” she said.

“The Newman Government sees tourism as one of the four pillars of the economy and these numbers show that our goal of doubling overnight visitor expenditure to $30 billion by 2020 is also paying off.”

Ms Stuckey said a number of the major tourism regions including the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Tropical North Queensland had all shown strong growth.

The number of holidaymakers to the Gold Coast increased 12 per cent to 2.2 million, Brisbane increased nine per cent to 1.4 million, the Sunshine Coast increased six per cent to 1.7 million and Tropical North Queensland increased 11 per cent to 911,000.

For more information on the latest National Visitor Survey visit www.tq.com.au/research.