Brisbane’s calendar of blockbuster events contributed to record $1.4 billion in economic activity

Brisbane’s calendar of blockbuster events, conferences and strategic global marketing has contributed to the Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA) delivering its biggest year ever, driving a record $1.4 billion in economic activity for the city in 2024–25 - setting a new benchmark for Brisbane’s growth and ambition.

BEDA is a subsidiary of Brisbane City Council, and is the city’s key driver of tourism, events, investment and business growth.

BEDA’s investment attraction and business growth programs surpassed $1 billion, while Brisbane’s calendar of events, conferences and global marketing injected hundreds of millions into the visitor economy which hit record highs for visitors (9.4million), visitor nights (53.7million) and visitor spending ($11.3billion)*. 

Key achievements in 2024-25:

• Supported hundreds of major events including Bluey’s World, NRL Magic Round and the once-in-18-years Australian Tourism Exchange, which saw thousands of global travel media, buyers and industry leaders hosted in the city.

• BEDA’s Global MedTech Accelerator and Future Food Initiative supported Brisbane companies to generate over $650 million in economic activity.

• BEDA-backed initiatives and events supported more than 11,700 local jobs and created more than 600 new positions for the city’s fast-growing workforce.

• The agency’s Brisbane Favours the Bold campaign delivered more than $80 million in economic activity, reached 30 million people, and helped drive a 37% surge across Visit Brisbane social channels.

• Supported vital recovery efforts after Cyclone Alfred to restore visitation and help businesses recover from disruptions that cost them more than $68 million.

• Delivered 182 capability building workshops and one-on-one mentoring sessions for local businesses at the Brisbane Business Hub.

BEDA Chief Executive Anthony Ryan noted “our impact is the result of incredible collaboration across city leaders, businesses and industry..

“The roll out of our State of the City Report delivered dividends by galvanising investors, government and industry around a shared strategy and message to unlock Brisbane’s $275 billion future.

“This year we’ve seen local businesses scale globally, international investors choose Brisbane, and our visitor economy smash records – all through collaboration and ambition.

Through close collaboration with key government and industry partners including Brisbane Airport Corporation, Tourism & Events Queensland and the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, BEDA continues to deliver transformative outcomes that cement Brisbane’s reputation as a global powerhouse for business, tourism, events and innovation.

*Visitor data for year ending December 2024.

Images from top: NRL Magic Round; Bluey's World; Boldly Brisbane; and Suncorp Stadium. Credit: BEDA