Preliminary data from Tourism Australia’s latest International Visitor Survey, released on Wednesday, shows the number of international visitors to Brisbane alone jumped 9.7 per cent to a record 1.4 million in the year to September.

The Sunshine State saw the third-highest growth in domestic tourism and expenditure nationally, seeing a 3 per cent increase in homegrown visitors.

Meanwhile, international visitor numbers statewide jumped 5 per cent to 2.8 million.

Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said the increase in international visitors was good news for Queensland.

“It’s wonderful to see record numbers of international travellers keen to experience the magic of Queensland with its many iconic tourist destinations from the Sunshine Coast all the way up to the Daintree and even beyond,” he said.

“These latest results also show growth in the number of tourists travelling to more regional destinations.

“It is encouraging to see that travellers are thinking outside the box and moving beyond the usual drawcards to explore more emerging tourist hotspots such as Mackay or places in South Queensland country like Toowoomba or Dalby.”

Across the country tourists spent $113.4 billion, including a growing interest in regional areas nationwide.

Mackay saw a 20 per cent visitor increase in the year to September, while regional southern Queensland recording a 16 per cent jump in visitor numbers as well.

Visitor numbers to the Gold Coast were less spectacular, just a 1.4 per cent increase for the tourism hotspot.

Domestic travellers flocked back to the Whitsundays in the wake of Cyclone Debbie, delivering a 34 per cent increase, while Townsville and the Fraser Coast also hosted more holidaymakers than the previous year.

“More Aussies holidaying in our own backyard teamed with this record spending is a great boost for Australian businesses and helps contribute to a stronger economy,” Mr Birmingham said.

To Brisbane alone, visitors from China made up the greatest number of overseas tourists, up 15.8 per cent to 257,000, followed by a new record number of visitors from New Zealand at 220,000.

Britain and the United States also sent more tourists to Brisbane while 60,000 Taiwanese visitors headed to the capital, a whopping 39 per cent increase.

Brisbane deputy mayor Adrian Schrinner said the preliminary results showed the city's increasing reputation as a destination city.

“These visitors went on a spending spree in Brisbane, with their expenditure climbing a massive 20.5 per cent to a record $2.7 billion over the year,” Cr Schrinner said.

“Brisbane is really building momentum in the tourism space as our exciting new hotels, venues and precincts enhance our reputation both nationally and internationally as a destination of choice.”

Corresponding data from the National Visitor Survey showed Australian holidaymakers booked a record 11.7 per cent increase in trips to the city.

In total, 7.2 million Australians visited Brisbane to the year ending September, a stable figure boosted by a 5.4 per cent increase in their spending to reach $4.4 billion.