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Australia’s Major Footy Events Drive $75 Million Hotel Revenue Surge – Image Credit Unsplash+
Australia’s major football events in 2025 have significantly boosted the hotel industry, driving more than $75 million in additional revenue. Key events such as the British and Irish Lions Tour, the NRL Grand Final in Sydney, and the AFL Grand Final in Melbourne contributed to record hotel demand, according to CBRE’s latest report.
Event-Driven Hotel Performance
The CBRE Major Hotel Markets Performance Q3 2025 report highlights how five major football events in Australia have translated into exceptional hotel performance. The report indicates a national increase across all key performance indicators, with hotel occupancy at 73%, Average Daily Rate (ADR) at $243, and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) at $177.
Sydney’s NRL Grand Final Impact
The NRL Grand Final in Sydney served as a prime example of the positive impact high-profile events have on the hotel sector and the broader economy. This year’s grand final, featuring two out-of-town teams for the first time since 2017, attracted a crowd of 83,000. This event drove the highest hotel occupancy of the year at 96%, generating an estimated $21 million uplift in hotel revenue over three days.
British and Irish Lions Tour
The return of the British and Irish Lions Tour after 12 years significantly boosted international demand, filling hotels in key markets. The tour attracted crowds of over 100,000 in Melbourne, 80,000 in Sydney, and 53,500 in Brisbane, resulting in a $42 million increase in hotel revenue across these cities.
Future Opportunities
Looking ahead, the upcoming Ashes Cricket Test is expected to provide another opportunity for hotel markets, with continued strong event-driven demand anticipated. The robust performance of the hotel sector during major events underscores the importance of such events for sustaining and boosting local economies.
Wider Industry Performance
In the 12 months leading up to September 2025, occupancy gains accelerated across all major markets, with Adelaide leading the increase, followed by Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth. Sydney outperformed all other major markets, recording the highest occupancy at 83%, ADR at $325, and RevPAR at $269. This performance was supported by strong trading conditions and major events, particularly the British and Irish Lions Tour.
Melbourne and Brisbane Market Trends
Melbourne saw a 4% increase in occupancy, driven by strong demand growth and a contracting new supply pipeline, leading to a 6% increase in RevPAR to a record $183. Brisbane’s hotel market continued its strong performance, reaching new highs in both ADR ($259) and RevPAR ($196). The city recorded the highest year-on-year RevPAR growth nationally at 11%, driven by a 10% increase in room rates and a modest 1% uplift in occupancy to 76%.
Adelaide and Perth Performance
Adelaide’s occupancy rose by 7% over the year, supported by a strong calendar of major events. RevPAR increased by 5% to $153, with ADR slightly easing from last year’s peak but remaining above pre-pandemic levels. Perth remains one of the few markets where all key performance indicators exceed pre-pandemic levels, with a 4% increase in occupancy and a 5% rise in ADR, resulting in a 9% year-on-year gain in RevPAR to a record $199.
Read the CBRE Q3 2025 Major Hotel Markets Performance Report
Australia’s Major Footy Events Drive $75 Million Hotel Revenue Surge – Image Credit Unsplash+
Australia’s major football events in 2025 have significantly boosted the hotel industry, driving more than $75 million in additional revenue. Key events such as the British and Irish Lions Tour, the NRL Grand Final in Sydney, and the AFL Grand Final in Melbourne contributed to record hotel demand, according to CBRE’s latest report.
Event-Driven Hotel Performance
The CBRE Major Hotel Markets Performance Q3 2025 report highlights how five major football events in Australia have translated into exceptional hotel performance. The report indicates a national increase across all key performance indicators, with hotel occupancy at 73%, Average Daily Rate (ADR) at $243, and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) at $177.
Sydney’s NRL Grand Final Impact
The NRL Grand Final in Sydney served as a prime example of the positive impact high-profile events have on the hotel sector and the broader economy. This year’s grand final, featuring two out-of-town teams for the first time since 2017, attracted a crowd of 83,000. This event drove the highest hotel occupancy of the year at 96%, generating an estimated $21 million uplift in hotel revenue over three days.
British and Irish Lions Tour
The return of the British and Irish Lions Tour after 12 years significantly boosted international demand, filling hotels in key markets. The tour attracted crowds of over 100,000 in Melbourne, 80,000 in Sydney, and 53,500 in Brisbane, resulting in a $42 million increase in hotel revenue across these cities.
Future Opportunities
Looking ahead, the upcoming Ashes Cricket Test is expected to provide another opportunity for hotel markets, with continued strong event-driven demand anticipated. The robust performance of the hotel sector during major events underscores the importance of such events for sustaining and boosting local economies.
Wider Industry Performance
In the 12 months leading up to September 2025, occupancy gains accelerated across all major markets, with Adelaide leading the increase, followed by Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth. Sydney outperformed all other major markets, recording the highest occupancy at 83%, ADR at $325, and RevPAR at $269. This performance was supported by strong trading conditions and major events, particularly the British and Irish Lions Tour.
Melbourne and Brisbane Market Trends
Melbourne saw a 4% increase in occupancy, driven by strong demand growth and a contracting new supply pipeline, leading to a 6% increase in RevPAR to a record $183. Brisbane’s hotel market continued its strong performance, reaching new highs in both ADR ($259) and RevPAR ($196). The city recorded the highest year-on-year RevPAR growth nationally at 11%, driven by a 10% increase in room rates and a modest 1% uplift in occupancy to 76%.
Adelaide and Perth Performance
Adelaide’s occupancy rose by 7% over the year, supported by a strong calendar of major events. RevPAR increased by 5% to $153, with ADR slightly easing from last year’s peak but remaining above pre-pandemic levels. Perth remains one of the few markets where all key performance indicators exceed pre-pandemic levels, with a 4% increase in occupancy and a 5% rise in ADR, resulting in a 9% year-on-year gain in RevPAR to a record $199.
Read the CBRE Q3 2025 Major Hotel Markets Performance Report
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It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using ‘Content here, content here’, making it look like readable English. Many desktop publishing packages and web page editors now use Lorem Ipsum as their default model text, and a search for ‘lorem ipsum’ will uncover many web sites still in their infancy.
The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using ‘Content here, content here’, making
The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using ‘Content here, content here’, making it look like readable English. Many desktop publishing packages and web page editors now use Lorem Ipsum as their default model text, and a search for ‘lorem ipsum’ will uncover many web sites still in their infancy.
It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution
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