Quarterly Tourism Labour Statistics

Latest release

Estimates of quarterly tourism jobs by tourism-related industries

Reference period

March 2026

Released

17/06/2026

Release date and time

17/06/2026 11:30am AEST

Key statistics

In March quarter 2026, there were 726,800 tourism jobs. This was:

8,200 (-1.1%) less jobs than December quarter 2025
29,500 (4.2%) more jobs than March quarter 2025
1 in 22 (4.5%) filled jobs in the economy.

Key tourism events in Australia, March quarter 2026

Severe weather events, including cyclones, flooding and bushfires.
Major sporting events and some high-profile concerts.
Rising fuel prices, supply shortages, and flight disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict.
Two Reserve Bank of Australia official cash rate increases.

Change in number and percentage of jobs
	Mar-26	Quarterly change	Quarterly change (%)	Annual change	Annual change (%)
Tourism jobs	726,800	-8,200	-1.1	29,500	4.2
Whole economy jobs	16,195,300	-3,300	0.0	305,000	1.9

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)
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	684.2	15,650.9
Mar-24	681.0	15,634.4
Jun-24	672.2	15,671.5
Sep-24	679.6	15,783.5
Dec-24	703.6	16,025.2
Mar-25	697.3	15,890.3
Jun-25	698.0	15,895.3
Sep-25	715.0	15,936.5
Dec-25	735.0	16,198.6
Mar-26	726.8	16,195.3

Tourism jobs

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

[["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","Mar-26"],[[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],[684.2],[681],[672.2],[679.6],[703.6],[697.3],[698],[715],[735],[726.8]],[[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],[15783.5],[16025.2],[15890.3],[15895.3],[15936.5],[16198.6],[16195.3]]]

[]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"-1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

{"1":{"value":"1","axis_id":"1","axis_title":"Tourism jobs ('000)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"('000)","table_units":"('000)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"900","tick_interval":"300","precision":"-1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false},"0":{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"Whole economy jobs ('000)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"('000)","table_units":"('000)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"18000","tick_interval":"2000","precision":"-1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}}

Tourism industry

Change in number and percentage of jobs by industry
	Mar-26	Quarterly change	Quarterly change (%)	Annual change	Annual change (%)
Accommodation	137,300	2,500	1.9	20,200	17.3
Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services	210,200	-5,600	-2.6	2,500	1.2
Clubs, pubs, taverns and bars	44,200	-2,200	-4.7	500	1.1
Road passenger transport and transport equipment rental	40,300	300	0.7	1,100	2.8
Air, water and other passenger transport	42,200	-700	-1.6	400	1.0
Travel agency and information centre services	16,500	100	0.6	300	1.9
Cultural services	17,400	200	1.2	1,600	10.1
Casinos and other gambling services	1,500	0	0.0	-400	-21.1
Sports and recreation services	35,900	-200	-0.6	1,200	3.5
Retail trade	125,600	-2,400	-1.9	1,000	0.8
Education and training	43,700	-300	-0.7	900	2.1
Other tourism industries	12,000	100	0.8	200	1.7

In March quarter 2026, 6 of the 12 tourism industries recorded a decrease in jobs. The largest decreases were in:

Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services: down 5,600 (-2.6%)
Retail trade: down 2,400 (-1.9%)
Clubs, pubs, taverns and bars: down 2,200 (-4.7%).

These were partially offset by an increase in:

Accommodation: up 2,500 (1.9%).

The 4.2% increase in jobs from March quarter 2025 to March quarter 2026 was driven by increases in 11 of the 12 tourism industries, the largest being:

Accommodation: up 20,200 (17.3%)
Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services: up 2,500 (1.2%)
Cultural services: up 1,600 (10.1%).

These were partially offset by a decrease in:

Casinos and other gambling services: down 400 (-21.1%).

Full-time and part-time employment

Change in number and percentage of jobs by full-time and part-time employment
	Mar-26	Quarterly change	Quarterly change (%)	Annual change	Annual change (%)
Full-time	375,300	3,700	1.0	21,700	6.1
Part-time	351,400	-12,000	-3.3	7,700	2.2

Tourism jobs by full-time and part-time employment
Quarter	Full-time ('000)	Part-time ('000)
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	346.1	323.3
Mar-23	364.2	323.8
Jun-23	332.6	327.2
Sep-23	345.5	343.7
Dec-23	350.6	333.6
Mar-24	341.7	339.4
Jun-24	336.0	336.2
Sep-24	337.0	342.6
Dec-24	355.5	348.1
Mar-25	353.6	343.7
Jun-25	344.7	353.3
Sep-25	355.9	359.1
Dec-25	371.6	363.4
Mar-26	375.3	351.4

Tourism jobs by full-time and part-time employment

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

[["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","Mar-26"],[[253.6],[178.2],[192.7],[194.7],[206.1],[200.7],[170.4],[212],[249.1],[266.9],[292.7],[346.1],[364.2],[332.6],[345.5],[350.6],[341.7],[336],[337],[355.5],[353.6],[344.7],[355.9],[371.6],[375.3]],[[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],[333.6],[339.4],[336.2],[342.6],[348.1],[343.7],[353.3],[359.1],[363.4],[351.4]]]

[]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"-1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"Jobs ('000)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"('000)","table_units":"('000)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"400","tick_interval":"50","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Sex

Change in number and percentage of jobs by sex
	Mar-26	Quarterly change	Quarterly change (%)	Annual change	Annual change (%)
Male	346,500	-3,200	-0.9	8,900	2.6
Female	380,200	-5,100	-1.3	20,500	5.7

Tourism jobs by sex
Quarter	Male ('000)	Female ('000)
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	330.7	350.3
Jun-24	328.6	343.5
Sep-24	332.9	346.7
Dec-24	328.4	375.2
Mar-25	337.6	359.7
Jun-25	344.5	353.5
Sep-25	350.7	364.2
Dec-25	349.7	385.3
Mar-26	346.5	380.2

Tourism jobs by sex

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

[["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","Mar-26"],[[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],[330.7],[328.6],[332.9],[328.4],[337.6],[344.5],[350.7],[349.7],[346.5]],[[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],[346.7],[375.2],[359.7],[353.5],[364.2],[385.3],[380.2]]]

[]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"-1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"Jobs ('000)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"('000)","table_units":"('000)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"450","tick_interval":"0","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Sex by full-time and part-time employment

Change in number and percentage of jobs by sex by full-time and part-time employment
	Mar-26	Quarterly change	Quarterly change (%)	Annual change	Annual change (%)
Full-time: male	204,300	3,200	1.6	7,900	4.0
Full-time: female	171,000	500	0.3	13,700	8.7
Part-time: male	142,200	-6,400	-4.3	1,000	0.7
Part-time: female	209,200	-5,600	-2.6	6,800	3.4

The decrease in March quarter 2026 was the result of 6,400 less jobs held by males working part-time and 5,600 less jobs held by females working part-time. This was partially offset by 3,200 more jobs held by males working full‑time.

The increase from March quarter 2025 to March quarter 2026 was the result of 13,700 more jobs held by females working full-time and 7,900 more jobs held by males working full-time.

Data downloads

Data cubes

Download all (132.64 KB)

Data files

Tourism filled jobs
Download xlsx [73.94 KB]
Tourism main jobs
Download xlsx [74.18 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

View full methodology

Do you need more detailed statistics?

Request data

We can provide customised data to meet your requirements

Request a quote

Microdata and TableBuilder

We can provide access to detailed, customisable data on selected topics

View available Microdata and TableBuilder

APA

Citation