TL;DR:
Visitor spend across Victoria is rising, but travel habits are shifting. Some regions are seeing strong growth, while others, like the Yarra Valley, are experiencing shorter stays and a drop in overnight visitation. Understanding these trends is key to adjusting your offers, content, and marketing strategy for 2025.
Over the autumn break, I spent a few days in Port Fairy. The town still had a steady flow of visitors. Local operators told me they’d been busy right through summer, and many were looking forward to a slower winter.
That conversation stuck with me.
Back in the Yarra Ranges and other parts of regional Victoria, things haven’t felt quite as consistent. I’ve spoken with several accommodation providers who describe recent months as patchy or far worse.
It made me curious. How are other regions performing? Is this scattered demand a one-off, or part of a larger shift?
The latest visitor economy data from Visit Victoria doesn’t give us all the answers, but it offers a clearer view of what’s happening across the state.
Source: Tourism Victoria 2024
What the numbers actually show
Visit Victoria’s latest dataset tracks how different regions performed in 2024 compared to both last year and pre-COVID levels.
Some regions, like Daylesford and the Bellarine, appear to be holding steady or growing. Others are still finding their rhythm. But the more interesting shifts are in visitor behaviour. People are spending more, but they’re not necessarily staying longer. In some areas, overnight visitation has dropped sharply, even where total visitation or spend has gone up.
There’s no single trend across the state, but a few patterns are starting to stand out.
Visitor spend is up across most regions
Most Victorian regions recorded an increase in visitor spend in 2024. The Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges were among the strongest performers, with spend up 11% on 2023 and 41% on 2019. The Murray also saw solid gains. These figures reflect continued demand for regional experiences, although some of that growth is likely influenced by inflation and rising travel costs.
Visitor numbers are holding steady
Visitor numbers were mixed but mostly stable. Some regions saw small declines on 2023, including the Yarra Valley (down 2%) and the High Country (down 12%), while others, like the Murray (up 7%) and Daylesford and Macedon (up 10%), recorded year-on-year increases. Compared to 2019, many regions are still slightly down, but there is no indication of a significant drop in interest.
The overnight stays story – Yarra Ranges sees sharp decline
This is where the story becomes more concerning. The Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges recorded a staggering 32% decline in visitor nights compared to 2019, by far the largest fall in overnight stays across the entire state. The region also saw a further 1% drop since 2023.
This dramatic decline stands in stark contrast to other regions. The Murray recorded a 23% increase in overnight stays over the same period. The Bellarine was slightly up, and the High Country remained 11% above 2019 levels, despite actually seeing fewer total visitors.
The collapse of Yarra Valley’s overnight accommodation is particularly striking given the region’s strong performance in visitor spending. While people are clearly still coming and spending money, they’re increasingly choosing not to stay the night. This fundamental shift in visitor behaviour has real implications for regional tourism businesses that rely on overnight guests.
Not all regions are following the same pattern
While some statewide trends are clear, such as increased spend and a general shift toward shorter stays, several regions are moving in different directions. These differences are worth highlighting, especially for businesses trying to understand how travel habits are evolving.
High Country
Visitor numbers in the High Country fell 12% compared to 2023. However, visitor nights remained 11% above 2019 levels. This suggests that while fewer people are visiting, those who do are staying longer or engaging more deeply with the region.
The Murray
The Murray recorded consistent growth across all key indicators. Visitor numbers rose 7% on 2023, and visitor nights were up 23% compared to 2019. This kind of stable performance stands out in a year where many regions saw mixed results.
Bellarine
The Bellarine held steady. Visitor numbers remained flat, while nights stayed were slightly up. It is a small but positive sign in a year where many regions struggled to hold their overnight market.
Other mixed results
Gippsland and the Goldfields recorded modest growth in visitor spend, but little movement in visitor nights. This may point to shorter stays, day trips, or changes in the type of traveller coming through.
Where We Go From Here
The contrast between regions like Daylesford (+23% nights) and the Yarra Valley (-32% nights) suggests there’s more to understand about how different areas attract overnight visitors. These patterns are worth watching as we move forward.
The numbers tell us visitor behaviour is shifting in interesting ways across Victoria. While spending remains strong in most regions, overnight stays vary dramatically between areas and understanding these differences will be important for regional tourism planning.
