In financial year 2020, Sydney was the most popular tourist region with around *** million international visitors. The other major east coast cities, Melbourne and Brisbane, ranked second and third in terms of international visitors in that year.

In financial year 2024, the number of day trips made to Sydney, Australia by domestic tourists amounted to around ** million trips. Melbourne was the second most popular destination for domestic day trips, with over ** million trips taken that same year.

Sydney reigns as Australia's most-visited destination among international tourists, welcoming over *** million visitors in 2024. This popularity extends beyond foreign travelers, as Sydney also topped the lists for domestic overnight and day trip visitors, solidifying its status as the country's tourism powerhouse. The city's appeal spans various traveler segments, from holidaymakers to business visitors. Tourism sector revival in Australia Australia’s tourism industry has shown resilience and recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. While international visitor numbers to Australia plummeted in 2020 and 2021, they rebounded significantly in 2024, surpassing ***** million, approximately **** million less than the peak visitor influx witnessed in 2019. This upturn reflects a gradual return to pre-pandemic levels, with vacations and visiting friends and relatives emerging as the primary reasons for international travel to Australia. Domestic tourism has also played a crucial role in the sector's recovery, with around *** million domestic overnight visitors recorded in 2024. Where are Australia's tourism hotspots? Beyond Sydney, other major cities and coastal regions attract substantial visitor numbers. Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and the Gold Coast round out the top five destinations for international tourists. New South Wales, home to Sydney, captured over a third of all international visitor nights across the country’s states and territories in 2024, highlighting the state's dominance in the tourism market. Victoria followed as the second most popular state, likely due to its concentration of visitor attractions, such as the Great Ocean Road. In terms of domestic tourism, Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane alongside the New South Wales North Coast and South Coast comprise the most popular destinations among locals taking overnight trips.

In financial year 2020, Sydney was the most popular city to be visited by international travelers with around ********** nights spent in the city in that financial year. Melbourne was the second most popular destination at almost ********** nights, whereas Tropical North Queensland, which includes the Great Barrier Reef, attracted just over ********* visitor nights.

Due to Australia’s size and relatively low population density, domestic travel for a holiday, business, or visiting family and friends often involves long hours of driving or a domestic airline flight. Nevertheless, in the year ended December 2024, Australians spent millions of nights away from home on domestic travel trips, with the strongest accommodation preference being staying with friends or relatives. The second most popular choice of accommodation was at a hotel, resort, motel, or motor inn. Urban centers and surfing spots dominate While Australians enjoy diverse accommodation options, their choice of destinations focuses on major cities and beloved coastal areas. Sydney emerged as the top destination for domestic overnight visitors in 2024, attracting over **** million people. Melbourne and Brisbane also proved popular, along with renowned beach and surfing locations along New South Wales' North and South Coast. Interestingly, Melbourne outpaced Sydney in terms of visitor expenditure, with domestic overnight tourists spending over **** billion Australian dollars in the Victorian capital compared to **** billion in Sydney. Domestic travel motivations The primary motivation for domestic overnight travel in Australia was to go on holiday, accounting for almost ** million trips in 2024. The city of Melbourne snatched Sydney's crown for the second year running as the most popular holiday or leisure destination, with Sydney the previous winner in 2022. Visiting family or friends was the next most common reason for domestic overnight travel, with around ** million trips taken. Business trips came in third, followed by uncategorized visit purposes.

Australia's domestic overnight tourism sector showed strong performance in the year ended December 2024, with New South Wales leading the way as the most visited state. Almost **** million domestic tourists stayed overnight in New South Wales, Australia, in 2024, outpacing Victoria's around ***** million visitors. The Northern Territory recorded the lowest domestic overnight visitation across the country's states and territories. Popular domestic destinations Across Australia, Sydney emerged as the top destination for domestic overnight visitors, welcoming over **** million tourists in 2024. Melbourne and Brisbane also proved popular, along with coastal areas known for their beaches and surfing. That year, the primary motivation for domestic overnight trips in Australia was to take a vacation, with almost **** million tourists visiting New South Wales for holiday purposes. Domestic visitor spending New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland accounted for a combined more than **** of Australia's domestic overnight tourist expenditure in 2024. That year, New South Wales alone saw domestic overnight visitors spend over ** billion Australian dollars. Day trips also contributed significantly to tourist activity in New South Wales, with over ** million day trips taken to the state in 2024. Across the leading destinations of domestic day visitors in Australia, visitors spent the most in the state's capital, Sydney.