TOURISM, SPORT AND MAJOR EVENTS

Visitors find more in Moreton Bay. They stay longer. They spend more. They come for the show.

With diverse natural attractions, expenditure from varied tourism markets, a year-round calendar of events and major ongoing investment, Moreton Bay’s strong tourism, sport and major events industry is set to continue its ground-breaking growth. Moreton Bay is home to 294km of pristine coastline, world-class entertainment facilities, museums, art galleries and picturesque hinterland aspects.

ESTABLISHED AND GROWING

Australia’s $138 billion visitor economy is vital to the nation’s wellbeing and the lifeblood of many regions.46 This sector supports 686,000 jobs around the country, and for every dollar earned, generates 82 cents in other parts of the economy.47 Moreton Bay contributes to this visitor economy through undeniable tourism assets which attract 4.85M visitors to the region every year, a 25.5% increase since 2017.48

The region is experiencing a golden era in tourism, with a visitor economy worth over $1 billion. These figures reveal the high-growth state of Moreton Bay’s tourism industry: • Visitor expenditure: $1.137 billion (increased from $670 million in 2015)49 • Average length of stay for visitors: 4.5 nights (increased from 1 night in 2015)50 • Average length of stay for international visitors: 18.6 nights (longer than the state’s average of 11.7 nights)51 • Tourism businesses: 3,259 (tripled since 2015)52 • Direct and indirect tourism jobs: 13,30053

DIVERSE EVENT CALENDAR

Natural landscapes and metropolitan infrastructure create a stunning stage for a diverse collection of events that draw visitors and increase expenditure. Moreton Bay boasts events such as the Woodford Folk Festival, Moreton Bay Food + Wine Festival, Abbey Medieval Festival and Redcliffe Kitefest, which together attract more than 200,000 visitors to the region every year.

MORE ACCOMODATION OPPORTUNITIES

Accommodation investors and operators have a unique opportunity to take advantage of this untapped tourism, sport and major events destination. With an increase of 29% in day visitors, 11% in domestic overnight visitors and 28% in international visitors since 2017, the region’s limited supply of visitor accommodation allows early entry hotel investors to establish their presence in an uncrowded marketplace.54 While small-scale accommodation operators service the leisure market, the region’s growing business and sports group visitor segment has increased the demand for full-service hotels.

DID YOU KNOW

The Bee Gees legacy is Stayin’ Alive in Bee Gees Way – a monument built as a tribute to the music icons who launched their career in Redcliffe. Barry Gibb even attended the grand opening.

4.5M

TOTAL VISITOR NIGHTS SPENT IN REGION

$1.1B

ANNUAL VISITOR EXPENDITURE

$150M

SPENT ON SPORTS INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE LAST 8 YEARS

4.85M

VISITORS TO THE REGION EVERY YEAR

EVENT INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT

The region’s recent growth is undeniable, and no doubt, fuelled by Moreton Bay Regional Council’s ongoing investment in infrastructure and tourism. With no signs of slowing, the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games and a newly unveiled national rugby league team has fast-tracked major development opportunities. In the last eight years, Council has invested $150 million on sports infrastructure. A further $57 million will be spent across three projects for upgrades to existing facilities and new purpose-built venues, including a new rugby league complex and high-performance women’s sports centre with football facilities to host Brisbane Roar home games.

AWARD-WINNING NATHAN ROAD SPORTS COMPLEX - AFL’s Project of the Year 2020

Moreton Bay is one of the best untapped tourism destinations in the world. It attracts more visitors than the Great Barrier Reef and features 360 islands – nearly five times as many as the world-famous Whitsundays.55

MORETON BAY INVESTORS TO GO FOR OLYMPIC GOLD

Moreton Bay businesses and tourism operators are rejoicing after a successful 2032 Olympic Games bid which is set to catapult South East Queensland regions onto the world stage. While Moreton Bay’s sporting facilities and pedigree is already strong, investment now extends to the development of a purpose-built Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre located at The Mill. Set to host Olympic boxing matches, the proposed world-class international sporting arena will have legacy benefits for the entire region. Investors are ready to capitalise on rapid growth opportunities, with the Games fast-tracking the delivery of vital infrastructure to reinforce the region’s reputation as the state’s engine room.

55 The Moreton Bay Foundation (2021). 56 The NRL Economist (2021).

QUEENSLAND’S MOST SUCCESSFUL RUGBY LEAGUE CLUB UNVEILED AS 17TH NATIONAL TEAM

The Australian National Rugby League competition announced Redcliffe Dolphins as its expansion club to be introduced in 2023. Local Redcliffe Dolphins Rugby League team have a 74-year history and are already Queensland’s most successful club. With 5,500 registered players, 17 junior clubs and 40,000 members, the Dolphins have an annual turnover of more than $30 million. The organisation’s assets are valued at an impressive $100 million, and the club is worth more than the Australian Football League’s Adelaide Crows, North Melbourne Kangaroos, Melbourne Demons and Gold Coast Suns combined.56

SUCCESS IN TODAY’S WORLD

Record investments into the $18 million construction of the Sandstone Point Holiday Resort has earned the landmark destination recognition as Australia’s leading BIG4 Holiday Park for occupancy levels, regularly reaching full capacity. Building on this success, the adjacent hotel has been awarded Queensland’s Hotel of the Year and Best Entertainment Venue, and Australia’s Best Hotel, with upgrades to facilities ensuring the venue stays revitalised. Sitting on 300m of unobstructed water frontage, Sandstone Point Holiday Resort and Hotel is a pinnacle of Moreton Bay’s flourishing tourism, sport and major events industry.

The holiday resort is a popular vacation destination where guests can choose from almost 300 accommodation options, including villas, glamping tents and camping sites. Next door, the hotel is one of Australia’s most successful entertainment venues with the most tickets sold in Australia during 2020, regularly attracting crowds of up to 20,000 people. Every year hundreds of thousands of patrons visit and stay, many relishing in a plethora of national and international acts, such as The Beach Boys, Bryan Adams and many more. The multi-award-winning entertainment and accommodation venues benefit from Moreton Bay’s significant regional visitor numbers, that are almost double that of iconic tourism destinations such as Noosa.

AWARD-WINNING SANDSTONE POINT HOTEL - Queensland Hotels Association

Awards for Excellence 2021 - Metropolitan Hotel of the Year, Best Entertainment Venue, Best Family Dining, Best Outdoor Non-Enclosed Facility, and Best Marketed Hotel Accommodation

SANDSTONE POINT HOTEL