South East Queensland is ramping up its push into India as Brisbane and the Gold Coast join forces to attract a larger share of the country’s fast-growing outbound travel market.
In a major collaborative move, the Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA), Brisbane Airport and Experience Gold Coast have appointed Horus Development and Consulting to represent both destinations in India.
The strategy aims to convert rising demand from India’s expanding middle class into increased visitor numbers, stronger air links and greater economic returns for the region.
India is now one of Australia’s top five inbound tourism markets. In the year to September 2025, Queensland welcomed 77,000 Indian visitors who spent USD 238.9 million. Brisbane recorded 46,000 arrivals from India — a 0.4 per cent increase year-on-year — while the Gold Coast saw a sharp 35 per cent rise to 25,000 visitors.
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the partnership signalled a clear intent to position the River City as a leading destination for Indian travellers. He said tourism contributes USD 13.7 billion in visitor spending and supports thousands of local jobs.
“India is one of the fastest-growing travel markets globally, and we want Brisbane front of mind for visitors seeking Australia’s lifestyle capital.”
Brisbane Airport chief executive Gert-Jan de Graaff highlighted the growing aviation links between Queensland and India. He pointed to increased connectivity via Malaysia Airlines, which operates five weekly services into Brisbane with onward connections to 10 major Indian cities.
On the Gold Coast, Mayor Tom Tate said India represented a significant growth opportunity for the city’s USD 8.1 billion visitor economy. He said that dedicated in-market representation would strengthen promotion of the region’s diverse tourism offerings.
“This partnership will help us capture that momentum, stimulate demand and expand aviation capacity.”
Horus Development and Consulting, which already represents Brisbane in parts of South-East Asia, will now extend its role to India, overseeing trade engagement, marketing and public relations. Managing Director Benoit Badufle said the expanded remit reflected a long-term vision to keep Brisbane and the Gold Coast prominent among Indian travel trade and consumers.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
