The Gold Coast has long sold itself as Australia’s playground, but a newly released Destination Management Plan 2026–2032 suggests the city’s greatest competitive advantage may already be right in front of us.
Sport.
The plan identifies major events, active experiences, sustainability and leveraging the opportunities of Brisbane 2032 as key priorities for growing the visitor economy over the next six years. It also acknowledges the Gold Coast’s unique strengths – a city built around an active lifestyle, world-class facilities and experiences that visitors cannot find anywhere else.
For Sports Gold Coast, the message is clear.
Sport is no longer simply a community service, a weekend pastime or a pathway to elite competition. It is an economic powerhouse, a tourism driver and one of the most powerful tools available to showcase the Gold Coast to the world.
Every time an athlete boards a plane bound for the Gold Coast, they rarely come alone.
They travel with coaches, parents, teammates, officials and supporters. They stay in hotels, dine at local restaurants, visit attractions and often extend their trip into a holiday. Multiply that by hundreds of sporting events held across the city each year and the impact becomes impossible to ignore.
The Gold Coast’s visitor economy is already worth almost $9 billion annually, attracting more than 14 million visitors every year. As the city prepares for Brisbane 2032, the opportunity for sport to capture a larger share of that market has never been greater.
But the real opportunity isn’t just about attracting bigger events.
It’s about using sport to strengthen the entire city.
It’s local clubs welcoming interstate teams.
It’s young volunteers gaining experience at international competitions.
It’s community organisations creating lifelong connections.
It’s businesses finding new customers.
It’s athletes inspiring the next generation.
And it’s ensuring that when the world arrives in Queensland for Brisbane 2032, the Gold Coast is recognised not only as a place to visit, but as Australia’s sporting destination.
The Gold Coast already has many of the ingredients needed to make that happen.
World-class venues.
A thriving high-performance environment.
An enviable climate.
A passionate sporting community.
And perhaps most importantly, a city that genuinely lives and breathes sport.
The Destination Management Plan provides a roadmap for the years ahead, but if the Gold Coast wants to maximise the opportunities presented by Brisbane 2032, sport must have a meaningful seat at the table.
Because the legacy of 2032 won’t simply be measured by medals won or visitors counted.
It will be measured by stronger clubs, thriving community programs, increased participation, new business opportunities and a city that used sport to create something far bigger than a two-week event.
For the Gold Coast, the countdown to 2032 has already begun.
The question is no longer whether sport belongs in the visitor economy conversation.
The question is whether we are ambitious enough to recognise that it could lead it.