Tourism statisticsRegion2026
Gold Coast Tourism Statistics: 4.9M Visitors in 2024
The Gold Coast, in Queensland, Australia, recorded 4,921,000 overnight visitors in 2024, Tourism and Events Queensland reports. AirROI estimates 153,462 Airbnb stays in the Gold Coast in the 12 months to October 2026, with Surfers Paradise the most booked town. The busiest month was January.
Airbnb figures are AirROI estimates for the 12 months to October 2026. Read the method
- Estimated Airbnb nights
- 785,783
- Typical Airbnb stay
- 5.1 nights
- Busiest Airbnb month
- January
- From within Australia, among guests who left a review
- 75%
Key facts
Gold Coast Tourism Facts
Each sentence names its place, period and source, so it can be quoted alone.
Official
- Tourism and Events Queensland puts the Gold Coast at 4,921,000 overnight visitors in 2024.
Airbnb stays
- AirROI puts Airbnb stays in the Gold Coast at 153,462 in the 12 months to October 2026.
- AirROI estimates Airbnb stays in the Gold Coast added up to 785,783 nights in the 12 months to October 2026.
- AirROI estimates a typical Airbnb stay in the Gold Coast lasted 5.1 nights in the 12 months to October 2026, booked about 65 days ahead.
- AirROI tracked 5,603 Airbnb homes in the Gold Coast in the 12 months to October 2026.
Busiest months
- AirROI ranks January the busiest Airbnb month in the Gold Coast in the 12 months to October 2026, followed by October and December, with May the quietest.
- AirROI estimates the five busiest Airbnb months in the Gold Coast ran unbroken from September to January in the 12 months to October 2026.
Guests
- AirROI estimates 75% of Gold Coast Airbnb guests who left a review as of October 2026 were from within Australia, and New Zealand at 7.3% and the United Kingdom at 4.1% were the top countries abroad.
- Among Gold Coast Airbnb guests who left a review as of October 2026, Brisbane was the top origin city at 5.9%, ahead of Melbourne at 4.6%, AirROI estimates.
By place
- AirROI estimates Surfers Paradise had the most Airbnb stays of the Gold Coast's 7 towns in the 12 months to October 2026, at 20,972, ahead of Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads.
Official numbers
How Many Tourists Visit the Gold Coast?
Tourism and Events Queensland counted 4,921,000 overnight visitors in 2024.
| Figure | What it counts | Year | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4,921,000Overnight visitors | Total overnight visitors to Gold Coast | 2024 | Tourism and Events Queensland |
Airbnb stays
Airbnb Stays in the Gold Coast
The Gold Coast had 5,603 Airbnb homes in the 12 months to October 2026. They took an estimated 153,462 stays and 785,783 nights. A typical stay lasted 5.1 nights and was booked about 65 days ahead. AirROI's figures cover the 7 towns it tracks in the Gold Coast and Elsewhere on the Gold Coast; places it does not track are not counted, so every total is a floor.
- Airbnb homes
- 5,603
- Airbnb stays, estimate
- 153,462
- Airbnb nights, estimate
- 785,783
- Typical stay
- 5.1 nights
- Booked ahead
- 65 days
Busiest months
When Is the Busiest Time in the Gold Coast?
On Airbnb, January was the busiest month in the Gold Coast in the 12 months to October 2026, then October and December. May was the quietest. The five busiest months run unbroken from September to January.
January ranks first, May last
Airbnb months in calendar order, 12 months to October 2026. The number is the month's rank, and 1 is the busiest. The bar shows its part of Airbnb nights.
- Three busiest months
- Other months
From busiest to quietest: January, October, December, November, September, March, August, July, April, June, February, May.
Month by month: rank, typical stay and days booked ahead
| Month | Share of nights | Booked ahead |
|---|---|---|
| January | 9.9% | 69 days |
| October | 9.5% | 63 days |
| December | 9.3% | 78 days |
| November | 8.6% | 62 days |
| September | 8.5% | 58 days |
| March | 8.2% | 55 days |
| August | 8.1% | 60 days |
| July | 8.0% | 77 days |
| April | 7.8% | 64 days |
| June | 7.6% | 54 days |
| February | 7.6% | 53 days |
| May | 7.0% | 53 days |
Share is each month's part of the year's Airbnb nights. Typical stay and days booked ahead are AirROI estimates for stays in each month.
Where guests come from
Where Do Gold Coast Airbnb Guests Come From?
About seven in ten Gold Coast Airbnb guests who left a review as of October 2026 were from within Australia (75%), and the top countries abroad were New Zealand at 7.3% and the United Kingdom at 4.1%, AirROI estimates. Among the same guests, Brisbane was the top origin city at 5.9%, ahead of Melbourne at 4.6%. The figures rest on 366,141 reviews, written over many years.
75% from within Australia
Among guests who left a review, as of October 2026
- From within Australia 75%
- From abroad 25%
Top countries abroad
Among guests who left a review
Top origin cities
Among guests who left a review
By town
Most Booked Towns in the Gold Coast
Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads took 19% of Airbnb stays in the Gold Coast in the 12 months to October 2026. January is the busiest Airbnb month in 3 of the 7 towns, led by Surfers Paradise, and December in 3, led by Palm Beach. Among guests who left a review, the share from abroad across these towns runs from 20% in Coolangatta to 29% in Surfers Paradise.
| Surfers Paradise | 20,972 |
| Broadbeach | 4,785 |
| Burleigh Heads | 2,878 |
| Palm Beach | 2,498 |
| Mermaid Beach | 1,828 |
| Coolangatta | 1,622 |
| Southport | 1,607 |
| Elsewhere on the Gold Coast | 117,272 |
* Among guests who left a review. Stays, nights and other figures are AirROI estimates for the 12 months to October 2026, and cover Airbnb only. Australia is the top origin in every town, among guests who left a review, so this column names the top country abroad. A town with no tourism page of its own links to its Airbnb market page. Figures add up these 7 towns and Elsewhere on the Gold Coast, homes filed under a wider area, which take no rank.
FAQ
Questions About Tourism in the Gold Coast
How many tourists visit the Gold Coast?
The Gold Coast had 4,921,000 overnight visitors in 2024, according to Tourism and Events Queensland. AirROI estimates 153,462 Airbnb stays in the Gold Coast in the 12 months to October 2026, which is a separate count of bookings.
When is high season in the Gold Coast?
The busiest Airbnb month in the Gold Coast in the 12 months to October 2026 was January, then October and December. The five busiest months run from September to January.
What is the quietest month in the Gold Coast?
May was the quietest Airbnb month in the Gold Coast in the 12 months to October 2026, ranking 12th of 12, and February ranked 11th. Stays in May were booked about 53 days ahead, against 78 days for December.
How long is a typical Airbnb stay in the Gold Coast?
A typical Airbnb stay in the Gold Coast lasted 5.1 nights in the 12 months to October 2026, booked about 65 days ahead. By month, stays ran from 4.1 nights in September to 5.2 nights in January.
Where do Airbnb guests in the Gold Coast come from?
Of Gold Coast Airbnb guests who left a review as of October 2026, 75% were from within Australia, AirROI estimates. The top countries abroad were New Zealand at 7.3% and the United Kingdom at 4.1%. Among the same guests, the top origin city was Brisbane at 5.9%, ahead of Melbourne at 4.6%.
What is the most booked town in the Gold Coast on Airbnb?
Surfers Paradise was the most booked town in the Gold Coast on Airbnb, with an estimated 20,972 stays in the 12 months to October 2026, ahead of Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads.
Are Airbnb stays the same as tourists?
No. Tourism and Events Queensland counts overnight visitors (4,921,000 in 2024). An Airbnb stay is one booking on one platform, however many guests it holds. AirROI's 153,462 stays are estimates for the 12 months to October 2026.
Method
How These Numbers Are Made
Official figures come from their publishers, linked above, and were last checked in November 2026. Stays and nights are AirROI estimates for the 12 months to October 2026, built from Airbnb listing data, and cover Airbnb only. Nights add up each town's stays times its typical stay, across 7 towns and Elsewhere on the Gold Coast. Month ranks compare each month's part of Airbnb nights. Origin rests on 366,141 reviews and describes guests who left a review, not everyone who stayed. Read the method page.