Victoria’s visitor economy has reached a new peak, with spending climbing 6.5 per cent to $48.6 billion, driven by strong international and domestic travel across the state.
Latest figures show more than 2.9 million international visitors spent a record $10.5 billion in the year to March 2026, up 16.7 per cent on the previous period. Regional Victoria also benefited, with $774 million spent across wineries, coastal towns and inland destinations.
Key overseas markets continued to perform strongly. Spending by Chinese visitors rose to more than $3.6 billion, up 23.5 per cent. United Kingdom visitors contributed $575 million, an increase of 37 per cent, while United States visitors spent $430 million, up 33.8 per cent.
Melbourne retained its position as Australia’s leading destination for interstate travellers, supported by major events including the Boxing Day Ashes Test, the Australian Open and the Formula 1 Grand Prix, which attracted large crowds who extended their stays across the state. The upcoming NFL Melbourne Game is also expected to draw strong visitation.
The results, drawn from Tourism Research Australia’s Domestic Tourism Statistics and International Visitor Survey, highlight continued growth in the sector.
Acting Minister for Tourism Steve Dimopoulos said the figures reflected strong demand and job creation across hospitality and tourism.
“These record numbers are good news because more tourists mean more spending at our cafes, restaurants and hotels which creates jobs for Victorians across the economy,” he said.
He also warned proposed $40 billion in cuts by Jess Wilson could put pressure on the industry.
Visit Victoria chief executive Brendan McClements said there were further opportunities to build on current momentum, particularly in intrastate travel, and welcomed continued collaboration with industry to attract more visitors.
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