Broome Tourism Statistics

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Broome tourism at a glance

  • Broome is a tropical coastal town in Western Australia, famous for Cable Beach and its pearling history.
  • It’s a popular starting point for travel to the Kimberley region.
  • Domestic visitors made 130,000 overnight trips in 2025, staying 532,000 nights and spending $148 million1.
  • International visitors made about 25,000 trips a year (2024–25 average), staying 394,000 nights and spending $28 million1.

How many tourists visit Broome each year?

Domestic visitors made 130,000 overnight trips to the Shire of Broome in 2025, and international visitors about 25,000 trips a year (2024–25 average)1. Tourism WA changed its survey method in 2025, so these figures can't be compared with earlier years.

Under the old method, the Shire of Broome had 238,000 overnight visitors in 20242, the second fall in a row.

  • Before the pandemic, Broome had 302,000 visitors in 20192.
  • Numbers fell to 150,000 in 20202 as COVID-19 travel restrictions took hold.
  • Pent-up demand pushed visitors to 325,000 in 20222, above pre-pandemic levels.
  • Numbers eased to 276,000 in 2023 and fell again to 238,000 in 20242.
Annual Overnight Tourist Visitors to BroomeShire of Broome, 2019–2025 (2021 not published). 2025 uses a new method and counts trips100K200K300K400K302,000150,000325,000276,000238,000155,0002019202020212022202320242025YearOvernight visitorsNew method
Total overnight visitors to Broome each year. The darker 2025 bar uses Tourism WA’s new survey method: 130,000 domestic trips plus about 25,000 international trips (2024–25 average), so it can’t be compared with earlier years.

How much do tourists spend in Broome?

In 2025, domestic visitors spent $148 million in the Shire of Broome and international visitors spent $28 million a year (2024–25 average)1. Overnight visitors spent $343 million in 20242, and the 2023 factsheet put it at $464 million3.

  • Tourism WA changed its survey method in 2025, so the 2025 figures can't be compared with earlier years.
  • Tourism WA says the 2024 estimates aren't comparable with earlier factsheets, so the gap from 2023 isn't a like-for-like fall.
Total Overnight Visitor Spend in BroomeShire of Broome. Each year is from a separate factsheet; they aren’t directly comparable$100M$200M$300M$400M$500M$464M$343M$176M202320242025New method
Tourism WA’s 2023 and 2024 factsheets put total spend at $464 million and $343 million, but the 2024 edition says its estimates aren’t comparable with earlier factsheets. The darker 2025 bar adds $148 million in domestic and $28 million in international spend under the new survey method, so it can’t be compared with earlier years either.

How much do visitors spend per day in Broome?

Tourism WA's 2025 factsheet doesn't break spending down per trip or per day, so the latest averages are from 2024, under the old survey method:

  • The average visitor spent $1,441 per trip and $176 a day2.
  • Domestic visitors spent $1,388 per trip but $274 a day2.
  • International visitors spent more per trip ($1,917) but only $53 a day, as they stayed far longer2.
Average Daily Spend in Broome, 2024Average spend per day by overnight visitors to the Shire of Broome$100$200$300$176$274$53All visitorsDomesticInternational
Domestic visitors spent about five times as much per day as international visitors in 2024, $274 against $53, because international visitors stayed far longer.

How long do tourists stay in Broome?

Tourism WA's 2025 factsheet doesn't give an average stay, but it does show how long trips lasted.

  • Domestic visitors: 42% of trips lasted 4 to 7 nights, 24% 8 to 14 nights, 22% 1 to 3 nights and 11% 15 nights or more. That's longer than the WA norm, where 62% of trips last 1 to 3 nights1.
  • International visitors (2024–25 average): 49% stayed 1 to 3 nights, 27% 4 to 7 nights, 10% 8 to 14 nights and 15% 15 nights or more1.

How did COVID-19 affect tourism in Broome?

  • Broome had around 150,000 visitors in 20202, of whom 147,000 were domestic. Tourism WA did not publish a 2020 figure for international visitors because the sample was too small.
  • Domestic visitors rose to 259,000 in 20212. No international figure is available for that year.

Where do Broome's tourists come from?

  • In 2025, 61% of domestic visitors came from within Western Australia and 39% from interstate1.
  • Before the pandemic, Broome averaged 274,000 visitors a year4 over 2017–2019. Of these, 55% came from within WA, 32% from interstate and 12% from overseas.
Where Broome's Domestic Visitors Come FromShare of domestic overnight visitors, 2025: Broome compared with all of WAFrom within WAFrom interstateBroome61%39%All of WA88%12%
Broome draws far more interstate visitors than WA as a whole: 39% of its domestic visitors came from other states in 2025, against 12% across WA.

Why do people visit Broome?

Holiday and business were the top reasons to visit Broome in 2025.

  • Holiday travel accounted for 42% of domestic trips to Broome in 2025 and 81% of international trips (2024–25 average)1.
  • Visiting friends and relatives made up 10% of domestic and 7% of international trips1.
  • Business accounted for 40% of domestic trips but only 3% of international trips1.
Main Purpose of Visit to BroomeDomestic trips in 2025; international trips averaged over 2024 and 2025InternationalDomesticHoliday81%42%Visiting friends and relatives7%10%Business3%40%Other10%8%
Broome visitors by purpose of visit.

What do tourists do in Broome and the North West?

Tourism WA doesn't publish activity figures for Broome on its own, but its data for Australia's North West, the region covering the Kimberley and Pilbara, shows what visitors get up to. Broome is the region's main stop: 52% of interstate visitors and 54% of international visitors to the North West spend time there5.

  • Eating out is the most common activity: 88% of international visitors, 43% of visitors from within WA and 28% of interstate visitors5.
  • Going to the beach appeals to 68% of international visitors and 29% of WA visitors5.
  • National parks draw 65% of international visitors and 23% of interstate visitors5.
  • Fishing is a top activity for 17% of WA visitors, compared with 10% across the state5.
  • International visitors also spend time sightseeing (73%) and shopping (73%)5.

Figures are for 2025, with international visitors averaged over 2024 and 2025.

What International Visitors Do in the North WestShare of international visitors to Australia's North West, 2024–25 averageEat out at a restaurant or cafe88%Sightseeing73%Shopping for pleasure73%Go to the beach68%Visit national or state parks65%
Almost nine in ten international visitors to the North West eat out, and around two-thirds go to the beach or visit a national park. These are region-wide figures; 54% of them visit Broome.

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Where do tourists stay in Broome?

  • In 2025, domestic visitors spent the largest share of their nights (38%) in hotels or resorts, while international visitors spent half their nights (50%) in rented houses or apartments1 during their Broome holiday.

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Broome accommodation: hotels, caravan parks and holiday rentals

Hotels, resorts and motels were the most common place to stay for domestic visitors to Broome in 2025, taking 38% of their nights1. Commercial caravan parks and campgrounds came next at 23%, nearly double the WA average of 12%. Staying with friends or relatives made up 10%.

  • International visitors stayed differently. They spent half their nights (50%) in rented houses or apartments, followed by hotels (18%) and backpacker hostels (7%). Only 3% of their nights were in commercial caravan parks1.
Accommodation Types for Visitors to Broome
Accommodation TypeDomestic Visitors (% of nights)International Visitors (% of nights)
Hotel/resort/motel or motor inn38%118%1
Caravan park or commercial camping ground23%13%1
Friends or relatives property10%16%1
Non-commercial caravan or camping3%1n/a
Rented house/apartment/flat or unit1%150%1
Backpacker or hosteln/a7%1

Source · Note: Domestic visitors in 2025; international visitors averaged over 2024 and 2025. Each group's top five accommodation types; n/a = not in that group's top five.

Broome tourism statistics: FAQs

Are most of Broome's tourists Australian or from overseas?

Most are Australian. Domestic visitors made 130,000 overnight trips to the Shire of Broome in 2025, compared with about 25,000 international trips a year (2024–25 average)1. Of the domestic visitors, 61% came from within Western Australia and 39% from interstate.

Can Broome's 2025 visitor numbers be compared with earlier years?

No. Tourism WA moved to a new survey method in 2025 and says its 2025 estimates are not comparable with previous factsheets1. Figures for 2019 to 2024 come from the old method, so the gap between 238,000 visitors in 20242 and 130,000 domestic trips in 2025 can't be read as a fall in visitors.

How much does a typical visitor spend on a trip to Broome?

In 2024, visitors spent an average of $1,441 per trip and $176 per day2. Domestic visitors spent $1,388 per trip, or $274 per day, while international visitors spent more per trip ($1,917) but much less per day ($53) because they stayed far longer.

Do many visitors stay in caravan parks in Broome?

Yes, more than in most of Western Australia. Commercial caravan parks and campgrounds took 23% of domestic visitor nights in Broome in 2025, nearly double the WA average of 12%1. International visitors used them far less, at 3% of their nights.

When did Broome have the most overnight visitors?

Under Tourism WA's old method, the peak was 2022, with 325,000 overnight visitors. That was above the pre-pandemic level of 302,000 in 2019, before numbers eased to 276,000 in 2023 and 238,000 in 20242.

References

  1. Overnight Visitor Factsheet 2025 — Shire of Broome · assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com ↑ b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z a2 b2 c2
  2. LGA Visitor Factsheet 2024 — Shire of Broome · assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com ↑ b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p
  3. LGA Visitor Factsheet 2023 — Shire of Broome · assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com ↑
  4. LGA Visitor Factsheet 2019 — Shire of Broome · kdc.wa.gov.au ↑
  5. Australia's North West Overnight Visitor Factsheet 2025 (revised) — Tourism WA · assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com ↑ b c d e f g
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