Over 800 tourism industry and government leaders gathered in Brisbane on Friday for DestinationQ, Queensland’s premier tourism conference, as the sector prepares to step into the global spotlight ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Hosted during Tourism Week, the full-day forum focuses on strengthening Queensland’s global competitiveness and reinforcing the industry’s position as one of the state’s most powerful economic drivers – contributing more than $34.7 billion to the economy each year and supporting over 260,000 jobs directly and indirectly.
This year’s event brings together small businesses, destination leaders and policy-makers under the theme “Driving Queensland’s Global Advantage.” The forum serves as a platform for collaboration, knowledge-sharing and strategic alignment as the industry works to strengthen Queensland’s position on the global tourism stage.
Program highlights included an update from the Tourism Cabinet Committee – the government body established one year ago to drive Queensland’s 20-year tourism plan, Destination 2045 – along with a panel discussion on regional cultural festivals and events, and open debate on the challenges and solutions to escalating insurance costs.
For the first time, the annual DestinationQ conference featured a “DG Ask Me Anything” session – a candid, live Q&A with senior decision-makers.
The program also included panels and Q&As exploring strategies to build a skilled and sustainable tourism workforce, enhance aviation through regional connectivity and international capacity, and advance new approaches to tourism infrastructure and experience development.
QTIC CEO Natassia Wheeler said the strong delegate numbers and high level of engagement and collaboration reflected the industry’s unity and ambition.
“Queensland has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to showcase our tourism offering to the world and the State’s tourism sector must be prepared. We need to act now by planning, investing and building capability. The conversations at DestinationQ are about ensuring our operators, regions and experiences are globally competitive, digitally equipped and workforce ready,” she said.
DestinationQ follows record breaking results for the industry with total visitor expenditure of $40.3 billion, contributing $37.6 billion to the Gross State Product and supporting 277,000 jobs in the most recent data (year ending June 2025). This daily spend of about $110 million, supported by both domestic and international visitors, highlights the industry’s significant economic impact, which represents one in every 11 jobs across the state.
Minister for the Environment and Tourism, Minister for Science and Innovation Andrew Powell said Destination Q was a wonderful opportunity for operators, organisations and businesses to talk to directly to Government about the issues and opportunities in this industry.
“I am confident that together we can grow Queensland’s visitor economy to $84 billion by 2045, as part of our visionary 20 year tourism plan, Destination 2045,” he said.
Tourism and Events Queensland CEO Craig Davidson said now was the time to align on our industry’s opportunities and future.
“Queensland is the home of the holiday, built on unforgettable feelings and experiences, from our iconic landscapes, our rich cultural heritage and the events that bring them to life.
“Our state is entering a golden era for tourism, with the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games on the horizon and a calendar of world-class events giving us an unprecedented global platform. DestinationQ is about how we take a Team Queensland approach in harnessing that platform and preparing for the opportunities ahead.
“Together, we’re shaping a tourism offering that is globally competitive, digitally connected and ready to shine on the world stage.”
