Fuel crisis impacts Australian tourism and travel plans ahead of 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 the Easter long weekend. Southern Queensland and regional areas are bearing the brunt, with operators like Drop Bear Adventures on K’gari losing tens of thousands in cancellations and others reporting drastic drops in bookings—some by 60%. The federal government’s fuel excise cut is seen as a small relief, but operators warn that operational costs and supply chain issues are compounding the crisis. Consensus facts include the $2.3 billion drop in overnight visitor spending nationally, the 12% flight cuts by Jetstar, and the widespread offering of fuel vouchers by tourism businesses to offset costs. While some destinations like North Stradbroke Island remain busy, the overall trend shows heightened anxiety among travelers about fuel availability in remote areas, leading to postponements and cancellations. The uncertainty over how long the crisis will last is creating greater hesitation than the price increases alone.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Southern Queensland tourism operators report cancellations costing thousands, including $10,000 lost by Drop Bear Adventures on K'gari (Fraser Island) due to fuel concerns (ABC Article 1, ABC Article 2)
- Fuel prices in Queensland reached $4.25 per litre on K'gari, among the highest in the country (ABC Article 1, ABC Article 2)
- Rising fuel prices are linked to the Middle East conflict and have led to cancellations and reduced bookings across regional Australia (ABC Article 1, ABC Article 2)
- Tourism Research Australia data shows overnight visitor spending fell $2.3 billion nationally in 2025, with Queensland losing $379 million (ABC Article 1, ABC Article 2)
- The federal government announced a cut to the fuel excise to help curb costs (ABC Article 1, ABC Article 2)
- Jetstar will cut 12% of trans-Tasman flights from May due to cost pressures (ABC Article 1, ABC Article 2)
- Don Kemble’s Murrurundi Caravan Park in NSW reports 2-3 cancellations per day due to fuel concerns (ABC Article 1, ABC Article 2)
- Reflections Holidays in NSW is offering $25 fuel offset vouchers to guests (ABC Article 1, ABC Article 2)
- Tourism operators in northern Australia report fuel costs rising 50-60% (ABC Article 1, ABC Article 2)
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Paradise Resort on the Gold Coast reports 10% lower Easter bookings compared to average (ABC Article 1)
- Noosa Quad Bike Tours owner Charles Marais reports 60% drop in bookings (ABC Article 1)
- Fulvio Ruckli pre-bought 400 litres of fuel in Brisbane to avoid K'gari’s high prices (ABC Article 1)
- Coastal Cruises Mooloolaba’s Darren Smith says the local waterfront fuel stop holds only 5,000 litres (ABC Article 1)
- Ferry bookings to North Stradbroke Island remain strong despite fuel concerns (ABC Article 1)
- Aussie World on the Sunshine Coast expects families to travel closer to home due to fuel prices (ABC Article 1)
- RACQ’s Dr Ian Jeffreys states fuel availability is not an issue and contracts to bring fuel into the country are being honoured (ABC Article 1)
- Fuel prices on K'gari are the most expensive in Queensland and among the priciest in the country (ABC Article 1)
- David Brook (Paradise Resort) attributes cancellations to rising interest rates, high cost of living, and fuel costs (ABC Article 1)
- Rainbow Beach experienced fuel shortages, leading to panic buying (ABC Article 1)
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- ABC Article 1 states fuel prices on K'gari reached $4.25 per litre, while ABC Article 2 does not specify the exact price but confirms high prices without a number
- ABC Article 1 reports some tourism sectors (e.g., North Stradbroke Island ferries) remain strong despite fuel concerns, while ABC Article 2 focuses solely on cancellations and downturns without mentioning any resilient sectors
- ABC Article 1 mentions that fuel availability is not an issue according to RACQ, but ABC Article 2 states hundreds of service stations across the country have been impacted by fuel shortages
- ABC Article 1 highlights that Easter bookings at Paradise Resort are 10% lower than average, while ABC Article 2 does not provide specific booking percentage data for any location
- ABC Article 1 notes that some businesses like Aussie World expect a silver lining from families traveling closer to home, but ABC Article 2 does not mention any positive trends or silver linings
Source Articles
Rising fuel costs force Australians to rethink Easter holidays
Rising fuel prices driven by the Middle East conflict are hitting the domestic tourism sector, with cancellations surging ahead of the Easter long weekend....
Thousands lost to cancellations as fuel crisis bites southern Qld tourism sector
Tourism businesses say they’re bearing the brunt of surging fuel prices, with some losing thousands to booking cancellations and extra operational costs, while others field back-to-back calls from anx...