Tropical North Queensland recorded international visitor spend of $1.3 billion in the year to March 2026, up 27.6 per cent year-on-year, as more than $295 million in tourism infrastructure investment progresses across the region.
Marketing investment drives record international spend
Tourism Tropical North Queensland chief executive Mark Olsen and chair John O’Sullivan released the results in the organisation’s 2025-26 Annual Report, attributing the growth in part to $18 million in additional federal funding secured since the pandemic to support international tourism recovery. O’Sullivan said the return on that investment reached $34 of visitor expenditure for every dollar invested by industry and government partners.
TTNQ ran five domestic campaigns and 67 international trade campaigns in 2025-26, delivering $267.5 million in visitor spend and supporting an estimated 1,450 additional jobs through federally funded campaign activity. Combined marketing activity reached target consumers nearly 50 billion times across publicity, digital, campaign and trade channels during the year.
Infrastructure pipeline signals investor confidence
Alongside the marketing results, TTNQ pointed to the region’s largest tourism infrastructure investment since the construction of the three Crystalbrook hotels. Current projects include the Hilton Palm Cove Cairns Resort and Spa, nearing completion, the $60 million Skyhaven accommodation development at Cairns Airport, and the $85 million Skyrail Rainforest Cableway upgrade. The Morris Group’s $40 million redevelopment of Double Island is also underway, alongside state government investment in the $15.5 million Smithfield Mountain Bike Park expansion and the $59 million Wangetti Trail.
TTNQ also released its TNQ 2045 Destination Management Plan, developed with more than 230 stakeholders across 32 regional workshops, targeting $10 billion in visitor spend by 2045 against a baseline forecast of $8.6 billion. Olsen said the plan positioned the region to become Australia’s leading ecotourism destination while prioritising sustainable and First Nations-inclusive tourism growth.
