Home » HOTEL NEWS » How NRL, AFL, and British & Irish Lions Tour Are Boosting Australia Hotel Industry in 2025: Know More
Published on
October 25, 2025
Australia’s hospitality sector experienced an exceptional year in 2025, with major events such as the return of the British and Irish Lions Tour, the NRL Grand Final in Sydney, and the AFL Grand Final in Melbourne, generating a $75 million uplift in hotel revenue. According to CBRE’s Major Hotel Markets Performance Q3 2025 report, these events, combined with strong demand across the country’s hotel markets, helped drive notable growth in occupancy, average daily rates (ADR), and revenue per available room (RevPAR) across the nation.
The report outlines how five key events on Australia’s 2025 football calendar directly contributed to the success of the hotel sector. Overall, the sector saw growth in all major performance indicators nationally, with hotel occupancy averaging 73%, ADR at $243, and RevPAR at $177.
Event-Driven Hotel Demand
The success of these high-profile events has highlighted the significant role that major sporting events play in driving hotel demand and revenue growth in Australia. In particular, the NRL Grand Final in Sydney was a standout event, drawing in 83,000 fans and providing the highest hotel occupancy of the year at 96%. This event contributed an estimated $21 million boost in hotel revenue over a three-day period, with ADR reaching its second-highest level of 2025, behind only New Year’s Eve.
The British & Irish Lions Tour also played a key role in generating hotel revenue across multiple Australian cities. Drawing crowds of 100,000 in Melbourne, 80,000 in Sydney, and 53,500 in Brisbane, this tour contributed a $42 million uplift in hotel revenue across the three cities.
In addition to football events, the Ashes Cricket Test is expected to continue the strong performance in the coming months, as international events remain a key driver for hotel markets across the nation.
Performance Across Major Australian Hotel Markets
The report delves deeper into the performance of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth, highlighting the continued strength of the hotel market across major cities.
Sydney: Leading the Way
Sydney’s hotel market has outperformed all other major markets in the year ending September 2025, achieving the highest occupancy rate in the country at 83%, an ADR of $325, and a RevPAR of $269. These figures reflect a 7% increase in RevPAR year-over-year (YOY), supported by strong trading conditions and high-profile events, particularly the British & Irish Lions Tour in August.
The city’s success was largely driven by its ability to attract significant international events, bolstered by its status as Australia’s business and tourism hub. Sydney’s ADR growth, combined with high occupancy, underscores its position as a leading destination for travelers and event-goers alike.
Melbourne: Strong Demand and Record RevPAR
Melbourne’s hotel market also showed resilience, recording a 4% increase in occupancy in the year ending September 2025. This was driven by strong demand and a contracting supply pipeline, which contributed to a 6% increase in RevPAR, reaching a record $183. Occupancy for the city reached 76%, the highest level since early 2020.
Melbourne’s strong hotel performance was supported by a series of high-profile events, including the AFL Grand Final, which attracted large crowds and filled hotels across the city. The combination of increasing demand and limited supply has positioned Melbourne as one of the top hotel markets in Australia.
Brisbane: Exceptional Growth Across Key Metrics
Brisbane’s hotel market continued its strong performance in 2025, setting new highs in both ADR ($259) and RevPAR ($196). The city achieved the highest YOY RevPAR growth in Australia, with an impressive 11% increase. This growth was driven by a 10% increase in room rates and a 1% uplift in occupancy, bringing Brisbane’s occupancy rate to 76%.
The city’s success can be attributed to its strong tourism demand, bolstered by key sporting events and an expanding tourism infrastructure that continues to attract both business and leisure travelers.
Adelaide: Event-Driven Growth
Adelaide saw a 7% increase in occupancy over the year, supported by a strong calendar of major events that drove demand. RevPAR lifted by 5% to $153, with ADR remaining robust, well above pre-pandemic levels. While ADR eased slightly from last year’s peak, the market continues to show resilient demand driven by a growing events calendar and a steady increase in tourism.
The continued growth in Adelaide’s hotel market highlights the city’s increasing appeal to travelers, both for business and leisure, and its ability to leverage major events to boost its hospitality sector.
Perth: Strong Performance and Record RevPAR
Perth remains one of the few hotel markets where all key performance indicators are exceeding pre-pandemic levels. The city recorded a 4% increase in occupancy, along with a 5% rise in ADR, resulting in a 9% YOY increase in RevPAR, which reached a record $199. Perth’s occupancy rate sits at 80%, with an ADR of $249.
Perth’s continued success is attributed to its growing international appeal and its role as a key business hub in the region. The city’s ability to outperform other major markets demonstrates the strength of its hotel sector and its positioning as an attractive destination for both business travelers and tourists.
Conclusion: A Bright Future for Australia’s Hotel Market
The CBRE Major Hotel Markets Performance Q3 2025 report highlights the ongoing strength of Australia’s hotel market, driven by significant events and a strong tourism sector. With Sydney leading the charge in terms of occupancy, ADR, and RevPAR, and Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth all showing strong performance, the country’s hotel sector is poised for continued growth.
As Australia looks ahead to the future, key events such as the Ashes Cricket Test will continue to drive demand across the major hotel markets. The combination of event-driven demand, strong infrastructure, and competitive hotel performance makes Australia a prime destination for both leisure and business travel.
