Meeting papers

Contribution to the Economy

A strong economy is the foundation of a resilient and prosperous community, and 75% of all
respondents, including 71% of business owners who responded, supported a shift toward a
more regenerative approach to tourism.

As part of the Noosa Biosphere, we understand that when our economy works in harmony with
our environment, both can thrive.

Over the past decade, Noosa has made progress in diversifying its economy and building
resilience beyond its historical reliance on tourism. However, our tourism sector continues to
be amongst Noosa’s top 5 industries –with around $900 million in output, of which around $458
million is retained locally5.

Tourism contributes almost 16% of Noosa’s entire GDP, compared to Health Care & Social
Assistance at 13% and Construction at 11%.

It is also one of the region’s most significant employers, providing around 4,007 jobs across 439
businesses. It plays a vital role in creating opportunities for young people, offering casual, part-
time, and after-school work that helps them gain experience and earn an income.




Tourism in Context - Sector Comparisons

                                                                                    Figure 10 Noosa Industry Sector Comparison –
    Employment by Industry                                                          Employment by Industry

    Industry                                     Number            FTE Jobs         Source: Economy ID/Noosa


    Health & Social Assistance                      4,636            3,276

    Tourism6                                        4,600               -

    Retail Trade                                    3,890            2,643

    Construction                                    3,096            2,690

    Professional, Technical, Science                2,119            1,768




5
    Economy ID Noosa Profile, 2025/Australia Bureau of Statistics/Census 2022/NIEIR 2024
6
    Tourism figures are recognised as a cross-industry aggregate - accounting for indirect tourism spend across a range of
    sectors and provided by Tourism Satellite Accounts

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