** MEDIA RELEASE **
The Bundaberg Region’s visitor economy continues to demonstrate its importance as a driver of economic growth, employment and regional prosperity, with newly released Tourism Research Australia 24/25 Regional Tourism Satellite Account data highlighting the significant contribution tourism makes to the local economy.
Tourism Research Australia’s Regional Tourism Satellite Account measures tourism’s direct and indirect contribution to regional economies across Australia, including visitor spending, economic value and employment outcomes.
The latest data shows tourism generated $261.6 million in Gross Value Added (GVA) for the Bundaberg Region, representing 10.6 per cent growth year-on-year and accounting for 3.5 per cent of the region’s economy.
Gross Value Added is recognised as one of the most important measures of economic contribution. While visitor expenditure measures the total amount visitors spend while in a destination, GVA measures the economic value that spending creates within the local economy after accounting for the costs incurred by businesses to deliver goods and services.
Bundaberg Tourism CEO Katherine Reid said the distinction is important because it demonstrates tourism’s real contribution to regional prosperity.
“Every time a visitor books accommodation, dines at a café, joins a tour, visits an attraction or shops in our region, they are supporting local businesses and jobs.”
“Visitors spent more than $856 million across the Bundaberg Region, which in turn generated $261.6 million in direct economic value for our local economy. That is a significant contribution to the prosperity and resilience of our community.”
The Bundaberg Region’s tourism growth outpaced the Queensland average, with Queensland recording $16.5 billion in tourism Gross Value Added, accounting for 3.3 per cent of the state’s economy and annual growth of 3 per cent. The results show tourism’s contribution to the Bundaberg economy aligns with the state average as a share of economic activity, while experiencing stronger growth.
The new data also reinforces tourism’s role as a major local employer.
In 24/25, there were 2,800 jobs directly supported by tourism in the Bundaberg Region, representing 14.8 per cent growth year-on-year and accounting for 4.9 per cent of all local jobs.
When indirect employment is included, tourism supports approximately 5,000 jobs across the region, representing 8.8 per cent of all employment and increasing 8.2 per cent year-on-year.
Reid said these figures highlight the broad reach of tourism across the community.
“Tourism supports employment opportunities across a diverse range of industries, including accommodation, hospitality, transport, attractions, retail, events, agriculture, manufacturing and professional services.”
“Importantly, the benefits of tourism extend well beyond the visitor economy itself. Tourism helps sustain local businesses, creates opportunities for investment, supports community infrastructure and contributes to the quality of life enjoyed by residents.”
The report also revealed that total tourism consumption in the Bundaberg Region reached $856.4 million, representing the combined expenditure of visitors travelling to and within the region.
This included:
- $132 million from domestic day visitors;
- $641 million from domestic overnight visitors; and
- $83.4 million from international visitors.
Reid said the strong performance reflects the collective efforts of tourism operators, businesses, community organisations and local government partners who continue to invest in the region’s visitor experience.
As a funding partner, Bundaberg Regional Council was pleased to see the release of the Tourism Research Australia data.
Bundaberg Region Mayor Helen Blackburn said the results demonstrated that tourism was not simply about attracting visitors.
“It is about creating jobs, supporting businesses, generating economic activity and building a strong future for our region,” Mayor Blackburn said.
“These figures provide compelling evidence of the tourism and hospitality industry’s value to our economy and broader community.”
The State and Regional Tourism Satellite Account data is produced annually by Tourism Research Australia and provides a nationally consistent measure of tourism’s economic contribution at regional, state and national levels. Further information and interactive regional data can be accessed through the Tourism Research Australia website.
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