Victoria’s visitor economy has reached a record high, with total visitor spending climbing to $48.6 billion as international tourism continues to rebound and major events attract travellers from around the world.
New figures show visitor spending across Victoria increased by 6.5 per cent, with more than 2.9 million international visitors spending a record $10.5 billion in the state in the year ending March 2026 — an increase of 16.7 per cent compared with the previous year.
Acting Minister for Tourism Steve Dimopoulos said the record figures demonstrated the importance of tourism to jobs and economic growth.
“More tourists mean more spending at our cafes, restaurants and hotels, which creates jobs for Victorians across the economy.”
The latest data from Tourism Research Australia shows that China, New Zealand, India, the United Kingdom and the United States remain among Victoria’s most important international visitor markets.
Across Australia, the top five international visitor markets in the year ending March 2026 were New Zealand, China, the United Kingdom, the United States and India. Visitor spending improved across all major markets compared with the previous year, with the biggest proportional increases recorded from travellers from Hong Kong (up 47 per cent), the United Kingdom (up 35 per cent), Malaysia (up 34 per cent) and China (up 30 per cent).
China continued to be Australia’s largest source of international visitor spending, accounting for 29 per cent of total overseas visitor expenditure in the year ending March 2026. It was followed by the United Kingdom (7 per cent), the United States (6 per cent), New Zealand (6 per cent) and India (5 per cent).
In Victoria, Chinese visitors remained the largest contributors to tourism spending, with expenditure exceeding $3.6 billion, up 23.5 per cent. Spending from visitors from the United Kingdom rose by 37 per cent to $575 million, while spending from US visitors increased by 33.8 per cent to $430 million.
India also continued to be a key growth market for Victoria, with Indian travellers among the state’s top five international visitor groups, supported by strong links in business, education, family travel and cultural tourism.
Regional Victoria also benefited from the tourism surge, with international visitors spending $774 million across regional destinations, supporting wineries, hospitality businesses and iconic regional towns.
The national tourism recovery was reflected across all states and territories, with international visitor spending increasing compared with the year ending March 2025. Tasmania recorded the largest percentage growth, rising 36 per cent, followed by Queensland (35 per cent), the Northern Territory (27 per cent), New South Wales (18 per cent), Victoria (17 per cent), South Australia (16 per cent), and Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory (both up 12 per cent).
Melbourne continued to strengthen its position as Australia’s leading destination for interstate visitors, helped by major events including the Boxing Day Ashes Test, the Australian Open and the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. These events attracted tens of thousands of visitors who stayed longer to explore Victoria’s attractions, hospitality venues and regional destinations.
The upcoming NFL Melbourne Game is also expected to provide another boost to the state’s visitor economy.
The Victorian Government warned that future tourism growth could be affected by proposed opposition cuts, claiming reductions of $40 billion would put jobs and investment in the sector at risk.
Visit Victoria CEO Brendan McClements welcomed the record results, saying there were further opportunities to grow the state’s visitor economy.
“Setting a new record for the visitor economy is a terrific outcome for the state, and there are further opportunities to continue this growth, particularly in the intrastate market.”
The latest figures highlight the continued recovery of international travel and the growing contribution of overseas visitors to Victoria’s economy, with tourism supporting businesses, regional communities and thousands of jobs across the state.
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