Despite floods in northern Queensland and Tropical Cyclone Alfred in south-east Queensland, Accor’s hotels in Queensland are recording a 30% increase in Easter long weekend bookings, when compared to the same time leading up to Easter in 2024.

Accor is Australia’s largest hotel operator with more than 350 hotels, resorts and apartments nationally and over 100 in Queensland.

Cairns, which has experienced heavy rains recently, is leading Queensland destinations with a 63% increase in Easter bookings compared to 2024.

Tropical North Queensland is 43% ahead of last year, and the Gold Coast – which was heavily impacted by Tropical Cyclone Alfred – is ahead 32% of last year.

Queensland is not the only state enjoying strong growth over the Easter period.

Accor’s hotels in the national capital, Canberra, have recorded 103% growth in advance bookings compared to 2024, with visitors enticed by the last fortnight of the blockbuster Pompeii exhibition and the National Folk Festival, which is expected to draw up to 40,000 visitors.

Victorian hotels are also high on the popularity scale, with 39% growth year-on-year. Melbourne hotels are enjoying an autumn renaissance with 41% growth in bookings, driven by events such as the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and a series of high-profile AFL games, making the Victorian capital a must-visit destination over the Easter holiday period.

Sydney’s extensive range of Easter holiday attractions, including the Sydney Royal Easter Show, has helped push bookings up 14% for Accor’s Sydney hotels.

Accor Pacific Chief Operating Officer PM&E, Adrian Williams, said the strength of Queensland bookings was particularly encouraging.

“The coordinated efforts of Tourism Events Queensland and Experience Gold Coast, supported by airlines and hotel groups like ours, have been instrumental in driving a strong Easter holiday period for the tourism industry,” he said.

“While Tropical Cyclone Alfred and floods in northern Queensland initially impacted bookings across the east coast, a swift and widespread promotional push – combined with attractive airfares and highly competitive hotel packages – has successfully reignited travel demand. It’s fantastic to see travellers rally behind Queensland, choosing to support local destinations.

“With two consecutive long weekends plus school holidays, Queensland has a prime opportunity to recover some of the estimated $300 million in lost revenue caused by recent weather events. This surge in demand is a great sign for the region’s resilience and ongoing recovery.

“Across Australia, we continue to see the incredible impact of major events in driving leisure travel. Sport, in particular, is proving to be a powerful catalyst for weekend occupancies, and with the British and Irish Lions rugby tour set to take place over winter, we expect this trend to gain even more momentum.

“With growing consumer confidence, we have strong optimism for hotel performance throughout the remainder of 2025,” Williams said.