The Australian Open has once again proven to be a powerful drawcard for Melbourne’s tourism economy, serving up a strong start to the year for Australia’s largest hotel operator, Accor.
This year, momentum built even earlier than usual, with increased demand recorded in the week leading into the official start of the event. This was driven by new activities at Melbourne Park, which kicked off the festival of tennis ahead of schedule.
With Accor’s Melbourne hotels (33) close to full during the first week of competition, demand across the opening rounds of the tournament was nothing short of a clean ace.
The biggest off-court rally took place between 19-21 January, where holdings were up an average of 12% compared to the same period of the tournament last year – a clear sign that fans, teams, media and event crews were keen to get courtside early.
Strong and consistent bookings continued throughout the remainder of the tournament, contributing to a stronger overall performance year-on-year.
“The Australian Open always gives Melbourne’s tourism economy a strong opening serve,” said Adrian Williams, Chief Operating Officer for Accor in the Pacific region. “The uplift we saw during the first week, particularly the double-digit increase compared to last year, reflects how quickly demand intensifies when the city hosts events of this scale. It reinforces Melbourne’s position as a destination that consistently performs on the global stage.”
Looking ahead, Melbourne’s major events calendar shows no signs of slowing, with the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix set to take over the city from 5–8 March. Accor is already seeing strong forward demand across the four-day event, with holdings tracking ahead year-on-year, signalling another high-performing period for Accor’s Melbourne hotels as the city continues to convert global events into tangible tourism gains.
