Quarterly Tourism Labour Statistics

Latest release

Estimates of quarterly tourism jobs by tourism-related industries

Reference period

December 2025

Released

19/03/2026

Release date and time

19/03/2026 11:30am AEDT

Key statistics

In December quarter 2025, there were 736,800 tourism jobs. This was:

20,900 (2.9%) more jobs than September quarter 2025
33,100 (4.7%) more jobs than December quarter 2024
1 in 22 (4.5%) filled jobs in the economy.

Key tourism events in Australia, December quarter 2025

The Christmas travel period - marked by elevated tourist activity and higher discretionary spending in hospitality industries such as cafés and restaurants, accommodation, and clubs, pubs, and bars.
Strong attendance at major sporting events and high profile concerts.
Several new large-scale hotels opened.
Major airports had strong passenger numbers for both international and domestic travel.

Change in number and percentage of jobs
	Dec-25	Quarterly change	Quarterly change (%)	Annual change	Annual change (%)
Tourism jobs	736,800	20,900	2.9	33,100	4.7
Whole economy jobs	16,233,500	283,200	1.8	208,500	1.3

Filled jobs

All references to "jobs" are referring to "filled jobs" unless otherwise specified. All data in this publication is original series. For information on the various measures of jobs, refer to Methodology.

Tourism jobs
Quarter	Tourism ('000)	Whole economy ('000)
Dec-19	632.5	14,157.1
Mar-20	485.2	14,019.0
Jun-20	319.9	13,173.8
Sep-20	399.5	13,484.2
Dec-20	407.0	13,996.8
Mar-21	411.7	14,046.5
Jun-21	412.7	14,185.2
Sep-21	351.8	13,809.9
Dec-21	427.2	14,555.3
Mar-22	489.3	14,581.6
Jun-22	520.4	14,852.3
Sep-22	581.5	14,888.3
Dec-22	669.4	15,239.3
Mar-23	688.0	15,305.0
Jun-23	659.8	15,395.5
Sep-23	689.2	15,418.1
Dec-23	684.3	15,650.9
Mar-24	681.1	15,634.4
Jun-24	672.2	15,671.5
Sep-24	679.9	15,782.9
Dec-24	703.7	16,025.0
Mar-25	697.1	15,888.2
Jun-25	698.3	15,900.0
Sep-25	715.9	15,950.3
Dec-25	736.8	16,233.5

Tourism jobs

["Quarter","Tourism","Whole economy"]

[["Dec-19","Mar-20","Jun-20","Sep-20","Dec-20","Mar-21","Jun-21","Sep-21","Dec-21","Mar-22","Jun-22","Sep-22","Dec-22","Mar-23","Jun-23","Sep-23","Dec-23","Mar-24","Jun-24","Sep-24","Dec-24","Mar-25","Jun-25","Sep-25","Dec-25"],[[632.5],[485.2],[319.9],[399.5],[407],[411.7],[412.7],[351.8],[427.2],[489.3],[520.4],[581.5],[669.4],[688],[659.8],[689.2],[684.3],[681.1],[672.2],[679.9],[703.7],[697.1],[698.3],[715.9],[736.8]],[[14157.1],[14019],[13173.8],[13484.2],[13996.8],[14046.5],[14185.2],[13809.9],[14555.3],[14581.6],[14852.3],[14888.3],[15239.3],[15305],[15395.5],[15418.1],[15650.9],[15634.4],[15671.5],[15782.9],[16025],[15888.2],[15900],[15950.3],[16233.5]]]

[]

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Tourism industry

Change in number and percentage of jobs by industry
	Dec-25	Quarterly change	Quarterly change (%)	Annual change	Annual change (%)
Accommodation	135,100	4,700	3.6	21,900	19.3
Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services	216,400	6,500	3.1	3,300	1.5
Clubs, pubs, taverns and bars	46,500	2,000	4.5	600	1.3
Road passenger transport and transport equipment rental	40,100	400	1.0	800	2.0
Air, water and other passenger transport	43,000	600	1.4	2,200	5.4
Travel agency and information centre services	16,400	300	1.9	-100	-0.6
Cultural services	17,300	500	3.0	1,500	9.5
Casinos and other gambling services	1,600	-100	-5.9	-300	-15.8
Sports and recreation services	36,200	2,000	5.8	1,500	4.3
Retail trade	128,300	4,000	3.2	-300	-0.2
Education and training	44,100	0	0.0	2,000	4.8
Other tourism industries	11,900	200	1.7	100	0.8

In December quarter 2025, 11 of the 12 tourism industries recorded an increase in jobs. The largest increases were in:

Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services: up 6,500 (3.1%)
Accommodation: up 4,700 (3.6%)
Retail trade: up 4,000 (3.2%).

These were partially offset by a decrease in:

Casinos and other gambling services: down 100 (-5.9%).

The 4.7% increase in jobs from December quarter 2024 to December quarter 2025 was driven by increases in 9 of the 12 tourism industries, the largest being:

Accommodation: up 21,900 (19.3%)
Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services: up 3,300 (1.5%)
Air, water and other passenger transport: up 2,200 (5.4%).

These were partially offset by decreases in:

Casinos and other gambling services: down 300 (-15.8%)
Retail trade: down 300 (-0.2%).

Full-time and part-time employment

Change in number and percentage of jobs by full-time and part-time employment
	Dec-25	Quarterly change	Quarterly change (%)	Annual change	Annual change (%)
Full-time	372,600	16,200	4.5	17,000	4.8
Part-time	364,200	4,800	1.3	16,100	4.6

Tourism jobs by full-time and part-time employment
Quarter	Full-time ('000)	Part-time ('000)
Dec-19	327.3	305.2
Mar-20	253.6	231.6
Jun-20	178.2	141.8
Sep-20	192.7	206.8
Dec-20	194.7	212.3
Mar-21	206.1	205.6
Jun-21	200.7	212.0
Sep-21	170.4	181.4
Dec-21	212.0	215.2
Mar-22	249.1	240.2
Jun-22	266.9	253.5
Sep-22	292.7	288.9
Dec-22	346.0	323.3
Mar-23	364.2	323.8
Jun-23	332.6	327.2
Sep-23	345.5	343.7
Dec-23	350.7	333.7
Mar-24	341.7	339.4
Jun-24	336.0	336.2
Sep-24	337.1	342.8
Dec-24	355.6	348.1
Mar-25	353.6	343.6
Jun-25	344.9	353.4
Sep-25	356.4	359.4
Dec-25	372.6	364.2

Tourism jobs by full-time and part-time employment

["Quarter","Full-time","Part-time"]

[["Dec-19","Mar-20","Jun-20","Sep-20","Dec-20","Mar-21","Jun-21","Sep-21","Dec-21","Mar-22","Jun-22","Sep-22","Dec-22","Mar-23","Jun-23","Sep-23","Dec-23","Mar-24","Jun-24","Sep-24","Dec-24","Mar-25","Jun-25","Sep-25","Dec-25"],[[327.3],[253.6],[178.2],[192.7],[194.7],[206.1],[200.7],[170.4],[212],[249.1],[266.9],[292.7],[346],[364.2],[332.6],[345.5],[350.7],[341.7],[336],[337.1],[355.6],[353.6],[344.9],[356.4],[372.6]],[[305.2],[231.6],[141.8],[206.8],[212.3],[205.6],[212],[181.4],[215.2],[240.2],[253.5],[288.9],[323.3],[323.8],[327.2],[343.7],[333.7],[339.4],[336.2],[342.8],[348.1],[343.6],[353.4],[359.4],[364.2]]]

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Sex

Change in number and percentage of jobs by sex
	Dec-25	Quarterly change	Quarterly change (%)	Annual change	Annual change (%)
Male	350,500	-700	-0.2	22,000	6.7
Female	386,300	21,600	5.9	11,100	3.0

Tourism jobs by sex
Quarter	Male ('000)	Female ('000)
Dec-19	291.4	341.1
Mar-20	223.3	261.9
Jun-20	154.4	165.5
Sep-20	190.9	208.7
Dec-20	195.7	211.3
Mar-21	203.5	208.2
Jun-21	197.9	214.8
Sep-21	171.7	180.0
Dec-21	202.0	225.2
Mar-22	228.8	260.5
Jun-22	243.1	277.3
Sep-22	270.5	311.0
Dec-22	316.7	352.7
Mar-23	325.3	362.7
Jun-23	313.2	346.5
Sep-23	323.5	365.7
Dec-23	322.2	362.1
Mar-24	330.8	350.3
Jun-24	328.6	343.5
Sep-24	333.0	346.8
Dec-24	328.5	375.2
Mar-25	337.6	359.6
Jun-25	344.7	353.6
Sep-25	351.2	364.7
Dec-25	350.5	386.3

Tourism jobs by sex

["Quarter","Male","Female"]

[["Dec-19","Mar-20","Jun-20","Sep-20","Dec-20","Mar-21","Jun-21","Sep-21","Dec-21","Mar-22","Jun-22","Sep-22","Dec-22","Mar-23","Jun-23","Sep-23","Dec-23","Mar-24","Jun-24","Sep-24","Dec-24","Mar-25","Jun-25","Sep-25","Dec-25"],[[291.4],[223.3],[154.4],[190.9],[195.7],[203.5],[197.9],[171.7],[202],[228.8],[243.1],[270.5],[316.7],[325.3],[313.2],[323.5],[322.2],[330.8],[328.6],[333],[328.5],[337.6],[344.7],[351.2],[350.5]],[[341.1],[261.9],[165.5],[208.7],[211.3],[208.2],[214.8],[180],[225.2],[260.5],[277.3],[311],[352.7],[362.7],[346.5],[365.7],[362.1],[350.3],[343.5],[346.8],[375.2],[359.6],[353.6],[364.7],[386.3]]]

[]

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Sex by full-time and part-time employment

Change in number and percentage of jobs by sex by full-time and part-time employment
	Dec-25	Quarterly change	Quarterly change (%)	Annual change	Annual change (%)
Full-time: male	201,600	1,600	0.8	5,700	2.9
Full-time: female	171,000	14,600	9.3	11,300	7.1
Part-time: male	148,900	-2,200	-1.5	16,300	12.3
Part-time: female	215,300	7,000	3.4	-200	-0.1

The increase in December quarter 2025 was the result of 14,600 more jobs held by females working full-time and 7,000 more jobs held by females working part-time. This was partially offset by 2,200 less jobs held by males working part-time.

The increase from December quarter 2024 to December quarter 2025 was the result of 16,300 more jobs held by males working part-time and 11,300 more jobs held by females working full-time.

Changes in this issue

Annual Tourism Satellite Account Revisions

The 2024-25 Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) introduced the Domestic Tourism Statistics (DoTS) dataset, replacing the previously used National Visitor Survey (NVS). To maintain a consistent time series, DoTS estimates were backcast, resulting in revisions to the industry ratios used to derive tourism employment.

The annual revisions have been incorporated into the December 2025 release of the Quarterly Tourism Labour Statistics.

Tourism industry classification changes

In the 2024-25 TSA, enhancements were made to employment ratios for the education and sports and recreation industries to better reflect their relevance to the visitor economy. These improvements ensure the ratios more accurately represent tourism-related employment.

The annual enhancements have been incorporated into the December 2025 release of the Quarterly Tourism Labour Statistics.

For further details on these changes, refer to the history of changes section in the 2024-25 TSA Methodology.

Data downloads

Data cubes

Download all (130.86 KB)

Data files

Tourism filled jobs
Download xlsx [73.07 KB]
Tourism main jobs
Download xlsx [73.67 KB]

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 5249.0.55.005.

Methodology

Scope

Tourism-related jobs with a direct impact on tourism activity. A direct impact occurs where there is a direct relationship (physical and economic) between a visitor and the producer of a good or service.

Geography

National

Source

Employment ratios from the 2024-25 Tourism Satellite Account applied to job numbers from the Australian Labour Account.

Collection method

Data compiled from various sources

Concepts, sources and methods

Tourism statistics are built in line with the concepts and methods in the Manuals on Tourism Statistics and Tourism Satellite Accounts

History of changes

Not applicable to this release

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