Strong confidence in Tropical North Queensland’s tourism sector has ignited more than A$295 million (US$210 million) in new infrastructure projects, backed by a record A$1.3 billion in international visitor spend for the year ending March 2026 – a 27.6 per cent increase over the previous year.
The figures, released in Tourism Tropical North Queensland’s (TTNQ) 2025-26 Annual Report, mark the region’s largest capital investment wave since the construction of the Crystalbrook hotel portfolio.
TTNQ chair John O’Sullivan attributed the international recovery to targeted government funding secured since the pandemic, noting that campaign activity delivered a high-yield return of A$34 in visitor expenditure for every dollar invested across industry and government channels.
According to TTNQ’s CEO Mark Olsen, the influx of visitor dollars is driving significant developer interest in the region.
“Work is underway on the A$60 million Skyhaven accommodation at Cairns Airport and the A$85 million Skyrail Rainforest Cableway upgrade. The Morris Group’s A$40 million redevelopment of Double Island is also among the surge in interest by developers who are sensitive with scale to the landscape, which is ideal for the only place on earth where two natural World Heritage areas are side by side,” Olsen elaborated.
Additional key developments advancing across the region include the Queensland Government’s A$59 million Wangetti Trail, a A$15.5 million expansion of the Smithfield Mountain Bike Park, and the flagship Hilton Palm Cove Cairns Resort & Spa, which is entering its final preparation stages ahead of opening.
Alongside the annual performance figures, the TTNQ Board formally adopted the TNQ 2045 Destination Management Plan. The long-term blueprint establishes a target to scale regional visitor spend to A$10 billion by 2045, prioritising sustainable ecotourism, expanded regional transport links, and First Nations cultural partnerships.
