Advertising spend across the travel category in Australia rose 12 per cent year-on-year, reaching $684.1 million in 2025, up from $610.7 million in 2024, new Nielsen Ad Intel data shows.
Travel agents/tour operators remained the largest segment by advertising spend, investing $340.2 million in 2025. Airlines recorded the strongest growth, with ad spend rising 36 per cent year-on-year, while tourism authorities increased investment by 15 per cent, reflecting continued competition between destinations.
The highest-investing carrier was QANTAS, followed by Virgin Australia International, Jetstar, Emirates, and Malaysia Airlines.
Among travel agents and tour operators, Flight Centre led the market for ad spend in 2025, followed by Booking.com, Scenic Tours Australia, Ignite Travel and TripADeal, according to Nielsen Ad Intel.
Cruise advertising also lifted, growing 9 per cent, mirroring Australians’ growing interest in cruising, with 56% of potential travellers saying they would “consider taking a cruise”. Viking River Cruises topped the list of cruise ad spenders, followed by Silversea Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Lines, and Norwegian Cruise Line.
On the destination side, the top tourism advertisers were Tourism & Events Queensland, the South Australian Tourism Commission, Tourism Tasmania, Destination NSW and the Northern Territory Tourist Commission.
“The data confirms that despite the economic headwinds, the Aussie love affair with travel is stronger than ever,” Nielsen Ad Intel’s Australia Commercial Lead, Rose Lopreiato, said.
“A 12 per cent lift in travel advertising investment, year-on-year, signals a category that’s accelerating, with online travel services continuing to dominate, airlines increasing their presence sharply, and tourism authorities stepping up as destinations compete even harder for travellers. With such intense competition between travel destinations and travel providers, it’s never been more crucial for advertisers to know where their competitors are spending and winning over the millions of Aussies wanting to travel.”
Additionally, Nielsen CMV (Consumer & Media View) research showed leisure was the most dominant motivation for Australians to travel, while nature-based and experience-led trips maintained strong appeal.
Nielsen’s findings showed New South Wales was tied with Queensland as the top destination for domestic travel (18.7 per cent each), followed by Victoria at 14.6 per cent. Internationally, the UK and Japan stand out as the destinations Australians most want to visit at 6.4 per cent and 6.2 per cent respectively.
Nielsen’s data also shows that digital planning is now virtually universal, with 85 per cent of respondents saying they would “check the Internet if planning a trip”, while 52 per cent prefer booking accommodation through online sites.
Despite Australians’ obsession with travel, cost remains a driving factor for many, with 47 per cent showing an interest in “no frills” and “cheap” airfares.
