The Whitsundays, Australia's Premier Holiday Destination, Continues to Hold Holidaymakers
WHITSUNDAY VACATIONS

The Whitsundays, Australia's Premier Holiday Destination, Continues to Hold Holidaymakers

dATE
Date
tIME
Time
vENUE
Venue
pRICE
Price

The Whitsundays, known as Australia's premier holiday destination, remains a favourite for holiday makers, achieving remarkable results in the National and International Visitor Survey (NVS and IVS) data as of 30 June, 2023. These results underscore the region's enduring appeal and status as a must-visit destination.

The latest results reveal that domestic travellers are still drawn to The Whitsundays for business and leisure, with 765,000 domestic visitors for the year ending June 2023, marking an 11.7% increase over the past three years. These visitors to The Whitsundays are still choosing to extend their stay to 5.5 nights, immersing themselves in the region's breath-taking landscapes and world-class offerings. The total number of domestic visitor nights reached an impressive 4.2 million as of 30 June, 2023, marking a substantial 19.5% increase over the past three years.

In the year to 30 June 2023, The Whitsundays delivered $1.3 billion in Overnight Visitor Expenditure (OVE), down from a record-breaking $1.6 billion. The latest result of $1.3 billion represents a remarkable increase of29.3% over the past three years, and a 51% increase on pre-pandemic OVE.

The diverse range of activities and attractions available to visitors on their trip to The Whitsundays is reflected in the spend per visitor figure of $1,724 per person to the year ending 30 June 2023, marking a 19% increase over the past three years.

While international visitor numbers are still in recovery mode, the region welcomed 68,000 visitors as of 30 June,2023. This figure represents a notable improvement, although it remains down by 31.9% compared to 2019.

International visitors coming to The Whitsundays are choosing to spend more time exploring, with the average international visitor's stay increased to an impressive 8.6 nights, up by 1.7 nights compared to the same period in 2019.

International Regional Origin

- Visitors from the UK have returned above pre-pandemic numbers, with 20,000 arrivals, up by 2.9% compared to 2019.

- European visitors remain on the path to recovery, with 27,000 arrivals, although still down by 30.4% compared to 2019.

- North American visitors are also in the process of recovery, with 11,000 arrivals, down by 29.8% compared to 2019.

Tourism Whitsundays CEO Rick Hamilton expressed his excitement about these remarkable achievements, stating,

"These results, while not record-breaking this time, underscore The Whitsundays' status as an unmatched holiday destination. As the economy tightens, we are seeing a slight decrease in expenditure, directly related to holiday spend in region. However, the length of stay and visitor numbers remain strong.

“We are immensely proud of our region's world-class tour operators, accommodations, and businesses that contribute to delivering outstanding experiences for all visitors, regardless of their budget," Mr Hamilton said.

These outstanding accomplishments further solidify The Whitsundays' position as the most tourism-reliant are in Queensland. With one in three jobs directly linked to tourism, the region continues to showcase its economic significance and its contribution to the broader travel industry.

For more information on NVS and IVS data, please click here.

The Great Barrie Reef located in the Whitsunday, Queensland, Australia
REVIEWS

Why Our Guests Keep Coming Back

Rating starRating starRating starRating starRating star
Shutehaven Villa
Amazing air bnb peaceful and relaxing. Great communication from hosts.
November 29, 2024
Kara
674962dd3a39938b8b2313df
Rating starRating starRating starRating starRating star
'Vue de Bleu' Luxury Whitsunday Retreat
The view is stunning and the place was so quiet and peaceful. Everything about stay was perfect. Highly recommended!
November 28, 2024
Seon
674728443a39938b8bb82b7c
Rating starRating starRating starRating starRating star
14 The Cove - Waterfront Whitsunday Home
Fabulous house and location, had everything you'd need. Would definitely stay again. Thank you
November 28, 2024
Sara
674803114cbd5773dc7ceb7f
Rating starRating starRating starRating starRating star
Marina living with Whitsundays lifestyle
what a beautiful place to stay. the unit was exactly as advertised. great location and great amenities, beautiful unit. the support I received from the owner/manager was exceptional. they went above and beyond to accommodate our needs. thank you so much. will be staying here again when next we visit.
November 28, 2024
Leanne
67481db43a39938b8be5d1e8
Rating starRating starRating starRating starRating star
'Vue de Bleu' Luxury Whitsunday Retreat
Perfection. This home is beautiful with a spectacular view. The owners have thought of everything and have decorated their holiday home with beautiful detail and thought. We hope to stay again. Thank you so much. We had a brilliant week.
November 27, 2024
Kirsty
6746d1943a39938b8ba7dea1
Rating starRating starRating starRating starRating star
15 Kara - Stunning 5 Bedroom Home With Million Dollar Views, walk to Airlie Beach main street.
Beautiful home stunning views, would stay there again
November 26, 2024
Ebony
6745133a3a39938b8b4f1c13
Rating starRating starRating starRating starRating star
Amazing Penthouse with Whitsundays lifestyle
Absolutely stunning view across Airlie. We stayed for 5 nights with our two teenage daughters. The apartment was clean and tidy. It’s a stunning location but you need a car or catch cabs to the Main Street and restaurants. The hill is hectic to walk. Whitsunday vacations were amazing and organised our seafood for arrival. The team went above and behind.
November 26, 2024
Cindy
674564153a39938b8b600aa6
Rating starRating starRating starRating starRating star
Uninterrupted Marina Views at Port of Airlie
Great location Awesome place
November 26, 2024
Shayna
674576243a39938b8b638d3c
Rating starRating starRating starRating starRating star
Relax & Daydream at 2 Elementa
Would stay there again!!
November 25, 2024
Molly
67440cc194bc6bca699ac9f9
Rating starRating starRating starRating starRating star
Uninterrupted Marina Views at Port of Airlie
Beautifully furnished & maintained. Lovely outlook. Close to everything.
November 23, 2024
Jill
67413bec8842b82c1793c097
Rating starRating starRating starRating starRating star
'Whitsunday Escape' - Expansive Coral Sea Views and Private Infinity Pool (Pets upon Request)
Had an amazing holiday at this place recently. Whitsunday vacations were a massive help in making this a very memorable stay thanks to Ali and the team
November 20, 2024
Ben
673d153f94bc6bca692d76bf
Rating starRating starRating starRating starRating star
'Vue de Bleu' Luxury Whitsunday Retreat
This is a stunning house! Everything was amazing. We had a wonderful time.The only thing to point out is that the third and fourth bedroom are openly connected so great for a family with kids but not for two couples. We will be coming back.
November 20, 2024
Crystal
673d138094bc6bca692d4b2f
Rating starRating starRating starRating starRating star
15 Kara - Stunning 5 Bedroom Home With Million Dollar Views, walk to Airlie Beach main street.
Phenomenal view! The property was incredible. the best Airbnb with a view I've ever been to. The place was huge and so much room to move around. I would 100% go back.
November 20, 2024
Callum
673d78bc94bc6bca6941db70
Rating starRating starRating starRating starRating star
Whitsunday Beachfront Apartment on Broadwater
Da provareI pappagalli che alla mattina fanno colazione con te sul balcone
November 18, 2024
SIMONE
673b293a94bc6bca69c965f7
Rating starRating starRating starRating starRating star
3 Bedroom Holiday Home, Valley Views in the heart of Airlie Beach
Perfect location! Just down the road from the main strip of shops and restaurants but further enough away that it feels private and peaceful. House was beautiful and felt very homely. The pool was a standout, especially when it lit up at nighttime. Eating outside on the patio with the views of the hills was phenomenal. Would definitely stay here again. Hosts were very responsive, helpful and friendly.
November 17, 2024
Mary
6739383194bc6bca69675e23
Rating starRating starRating starRating starRating star
3 Bedroom Holiday Home, Valley Views in the heart of Airlie Beach
Beautiful 3 bedroom 3 bathroom home with private poolBeautiful home, very clean. Was wonderful having 3 bathrooms
November 15, 2024
Anne
67372a9b94bc6bca69ffe815
Rating starRating starRating starRating starRating star
'Nine Islands' Airlie Beach Luxury Holiday Home with ocean views
Awesome house, heaps of space and a stunning view from all areas of the home. Had an amazing time and can't wait to come back and stay again.
November 15, 2024
Alec
673702b394bc6bca69f81afa
Rating starRating starRating starRating starRating star
Idyllic Whitsunday Holiday Home with amazing views
The property was described as idyllic with amazing views and it was.The property was described as idyllic with amazing views and it was. It had all the amenities you would expect and more and we felt very comfortable during our stay. It was very clean throughout and the pool was an added luxury.
November 14, 2024
Williams
6735dd0c94bc6bca69bf13ec
Rating starRating starRating starRating starRating star
Holiday on The Horizon, Airlie Beach Holiday Home with Jacuzzi
it's an absolutely amazing place~ Can't expected more. The beautiful view, nice location(close to shops and restaurant), responsive host, all of these makes my experience perfect.
November 14, 2024
Duo
6735910d94bc6bca69b0b60e
Rating starRating starRating starRating starRating star
Whitsunday living on Hillcrest by the Beach
Fantastic residence that was just perfect for our group of 6, lovely and modern. Great communication from the managers,Loved the view, the pool and how close to town center
November 13, 2024
Gavin
6733af1394bc6bca695283f9
Previous

Stay Up To Date with Our Specials

Sign up to our newsletter to receive the latest deals and event news.

SIGN UP
Please Enter Your Details
Close

Thanks for subscribing!

We’re working on NEWs for you – why not try our HOL-SPECIAL code for a 10% discount for any of your future bookings.

Click here for the best rates

We will not spam, rent, or sell your information.

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.