Fuel crisis impacts Australian tourism and travel plans during Easter 2025
Consensus Summary
The core story revolves around how rising fuel prices, driven by the Middle East conflict, are severely impacting Australia’s tourism sector ahead of Easter 2025. Both sources confirm widespread cancellations, with Queensland, Victoria, and NSW experiencing significant financial losses—$379 million, $1.2 billion, and $410 million respectively—due to reduced overnight visitor spending. Operators like Paradise Resort (Gold Coast) and Noosa Quad Bike Tours reported steep booking drops (10% and 60%), while businesses on K'gari (Fraser Island) faced cancellations totaling thousands of dollars, exacerbated by fears of fuel shortages and panic buying. The federal government responded with a fuel excise cut, and some operators offered fuel vouchers or flexible bookings to retain customers. Nationwide, hundreds of service stations faced shortages, and airlines like Jetstar cut trans-Tasman flights due to cost pressures, while Qantas expanded international routes. Despite challenges, some destinations like North Stradbroke Island and Gold Coast Airport saw strong bookings, suggesting travelers are adjusting plans rather than canceling entirely. Experts emphasized that while fuel prices remain high, supply contracts are being honored, and shortages are unlikely. However, uncertainty over the crisis’s duration is causing hesitation among travelers, particularly those heading to remote areas.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Rising fuel prices are causing widespread cancellations in the Australian tourism sector ahead of Easter 2025, with Queensland ($379M), Victoria ($1.2B), and NSW ($410M) experiencing significant drops in overnight visitor spending (Tourism Research Australia figures).
- The federal government announced a cut to the fuel excise in response to the crisis, aimed at easing costs for businesses and consumers.
- Fuel prices in K'gari (Fraser Island) reached $4.25 per litre, among the highest in Queensland and the country, according to RACQ.
- Tourism operators across southern Queensland, including Paradise Resort (Gold Coast) and Noosa Quad Bike Tours, reported booking cancellations due to fuel costs, with Noosa Quad Bike Tours seeing a 60% drop in bookings.
- Hana Robinson’s Drop Bear Adventures on K'gari lost $10,000 to cancellations in recent weeks, partly due to flight disruptions and fears of fuel shortages.
- Hundreds of service stations nationwide have been impacted by fuel shortages, confirmed by the federal government.
- Don Kemble’s Murrurundi Caravan Park (NSW) saw cancellations rise to 2-3 per day, down from typical bookings of 6-8 vans per night during Easter.
- Reflections Holidays (NSW) is offering $25 fuel offset vouchers to guests and a $50 fuel allowance to employees traveling over 10 km to work.
- Tourism Tropical North Queensland CEO Mark Olsen reported marine tourism and bus tour costs rising by 50-60% due to fuel price hikes.
- Jetstar announced it will cut about 12% of trans-Tasman flights from May 2025, citing mounting cost pressures from fuel prices.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- David Brook (Paradise Resort, Gold Coast) stated Easter bookings were around 10% lower than average, attributing the drop to rising interest rates, cost of living, and fuel costs.
- Fulvio Ruckli and friends bought 400 litres of fuel in Brisbane to avoid K'gari’s high prices, with RACQ confirming K'gari’s fuel prices are among the priciest in the country.
- Coastal Cruises Mooloolaba’s Darren Smith reported relying on a single waterfront fuel stop holding only 5,000 litres, forcing him to refuel early for the Easter weekend.
- Aussie World (Sunshine Coast) noted a trend of families traveling closer to home due to fuel prices, calling it a silver lining for local drive markets.
- RACQ’s Dr Ian Jeffreys stated fuel availability is not an issue and contracts to bring fuel into the country are being honored, despite high prices.
- Ferry bookings to North Stradbroke Island remained strong, and Gold Coast Airport expected record-breaking visitor numbers over Easter.
- Hana Robinson (Drop Bear Adventures) mentioned Rainbow Beach running out of fuel, prompting panic buying among tourists.
- Russell Postle (Fraser Island Retreat) highlighted reliance on fuel for generators and power systems, including the Telstra tower and local homes.
- Paula and Michael Candlish postponed a 60,000 km caravan trip to Western Australia due to fuel shortages, citing fear of being stranded in remote areas.
- Michael Syms (Sydney’s largest cattery) introduced a pet taxi service and switched to an electric car for smaller trips, noting uncertainty over the fuel crisis’s duration as a bigger concern than price alone.
- Vietnam Airlines will cancel dozens of domestic flights from June 2025 due to fuel cost pressures, according to the country’s aviation authority.
- Qantas increased capacity on flights between Australia and Europe, adding services between Perth-Rome and Sydney-Paris via Singapore.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Article 1 states K'gari’s fuel prices are the most expensive in Queensland and among the priciest in the country, while Article 2 does not mention K'gari’s prices specifically but focuses on nationwide shortages.
- Article 1 reports Gold Coast Airport expecting record-breaking visitor numbers over Easter, while Article 2 does not mention Gold Coast Airport’s bookings or visitor projections.
- Article 1 highlights that ferry bookings to North Stradbroke Island stayed high, but Article 2 does not reference North Stradbroke Island’s tourism performance.
- Article 1 notes that RACQ confirmed K'gari’s fuel prices are among the highest in the country, while Article 2 does not provide a direct comparison of regional fuel prices beyond nationwide shortages.
- Article 1 states that fuel availability is not an issue according to RACQ’s Dr Ian Jeffreys, but Article 2 does not explicitly confirm this statement beyond mentioning contract fulfillment.
Source Articles
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Thousands lost to cancellations as fuel crisis bites southern Qld tourism sector
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