We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples and the Traditional Custodians of Ngunnawal Country, the land on which we meet today. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and also recognise any other people or families with connection to the ACT and Region.
Visitor Economy Update by Justin Garrett - Director, Strategy, Insight & Industry Development
Justin delivered a data-led update on the ACT visitor economy, drawing on the latest available figures and flagging that refreshed TRA data would be released on 17 December.
For the 12 months to June 2025, the ACT welcomed around 4.5 million visitors, generating $2.9 billion in visitor spend. While overall visitation and spend remain relatively steady, Justin noted the longer-term trajectory is positive, with spend rebounding in recent quarters.
Domestic overnight travel continues to underpin the visitor economy and, while currently flat, is tracking in line with national trends. Domestic day visitation has softened locally as household budget pressures influence discretionary travel decisions.
International visitation to the ACT has grown by 18%, three times the national average growth rate of 6%, positioning international markets as a key driver of future growth for the sector. International spend is also growing at a significantly faster rate than domestic travel, reflecting longer stays and higher yield.
Justin highlighted the opportunity to convert visitation into greater value by encouraging longer stays and fuller itineraries. He reinforced the importance of packaging, bundling and strong value messaging, particularly in a price-sensitive environment. For international markets, success will depend on being visible, bookable and well represented across multiple channels, with products and pricing tailored to different booking pathways and traveller needs.
Destination Marketing Strategy by Jess O'Mara - Senior Director of Marketing
Jess reflected on a strong year of delivery before outlining VisitCanberra’s evolved destination marketing strategy for 2025–26. She highlighted the impact of bold, strategic marketing in 2024–25, with domestic campaigns reaching millions and driving awareness and consideration through compelling storytelling. International campaigns further elevated Canberra’s profile across priority markets, supported by strong PR outcomes, creator partnerships and record engagement across social and digital platforms.
Looking ahead, Jess described the 2025–26 Destination Marketing Strategy as a strategic evolution, shifting from awareness-building to a more visit-centric, emotionally resonant approach. Aligned to the T2030 goals, the strategy focuses on increasing visitation, overnight stays and visitor spend, contributing to the ambition of growing the visitor economy by an additional $1 billion.
The strategy prioritises high-value audiences, led by the 55-plus market, alongside families and younger professionals, across key domestic and international markets. A new brand extension campaign will build on the strength of There’s More Than They’re Telling Us, deepening emotional connection and driving action through proof points around culture, nature, First Nations storytelling and Canberra’s national significance.
Jess also emphasised the role of collaboration, technology and data, with enhanced digital tools, personalised content and partnerships ensuring Canberra’s story continues to reach the right audiences, at the right time, with impact.
International Markets & Programs by Laura Raine - Assistant Director, Partnerships and Distribution
Laura outlined VisitCanberra’s international markets activity, highlighting solid momentum across trade development, aviation partnerships and education-related tourism. She reinforced the international team’s role in building a strong tourism distribution network, ensuring Canberra is visible, bookable and actively sold across key global markets.
Throughout 2025, VisitCanberra worked with 13 international travel trade partners across the US, UK, India and Singapore, including four new partnerships. This activity delivered eight new Canberra itineraries featuring overnight stays. Laura shared a practical example from the US market, showing how sustained engagement, including trade events, famils and agent training, successfully converted a previously inactive partner into an active seller of Canberra, generating first-time bookings and direct benefits for local operators.
Across the year more than 400 travel agents were trained through face-to-face appointments and over 1,000 agents reached via webinars, livestreams and workshops. VisitCanberra also supported record participation at major trade events and delivered 14 familiarisation programs, bringing more than 70 agents to Canberra and generating more than 200 room nights.
Laura highlighted the importance of aviation partnerships, including ongoing collaboration with Fiji Airways and the return of Qatar Airways services, improving access from North America and the UK. She also outlined the integration of Study Canberra into the international team, strengthening alignment between education and tourism initiatives, with a strong pipeline of activity planned for 2026.
Industry Development & the Canberra Region Visitors Centre by Russell Jackson - Assistant Director, Industry Sector Development
Russell provided an in-depth update on VisitCanberra’s approach to building industry capacity and capability, a core pillar of the T2030 strategy. He reinforced that strong promotion must be underpinned by a strong product, making investment in industry skills, collaboration and development critical to long-term growth.
Five key areas of focus have been identified for 2026: skills and employment, business development and support, industry collaboration, product development and ease of doing business. Key initiatives include identifying workforce training needs, supporting inclusive employment pathways, sharing best practice and improving access to tools across areas such as sustainability and accessibility. Collaboration was highlighted as a major opportunity, with joint ticketing, packaged experiences and multi-night itineraries delivering clearer value propositions and making Canberra easier to sell, particularly in a price-sensitive environment.
He also outlined how VisitCanberra will translate strategy into action, including direct engagement with operators, improved sharing of visitor data and insights, targeted development opportunities, stronger links with education providers and a whole-of-government approach to streamlining support and reducing barriers for tourism businesses.
Russell also highlighted the Canberra and Region Visitor Centre (CRVC) as a key industry asset. With more than 120 local suppliers represented, over 4,600 bookings and 225,000 annual visitors, the centre plays a vital role in driving sales and showcasing regional product. Notably, 75 per cent of bookings are packaged experiences, reinforcing the value of collaboration. Russell encouraged operators to actively engage with the CRVC, maintain updated ATDW listings and leverage booking and retail opportunities to maximise visibility and conversion.
Stay in touch with the VisitCanberra team through the website https://tourism.act.gov.au/ and by signing up to Industry Link here.