SINGAPORE, 11 June 2025: The upcoming British & Irish Lions tour is driving hotel bookings across host markets in Australia, with levels at a high of more than 70% in Adelaide and Brisbane, according to CoStar’s latest Forward STAR data.
CoStar is a leading provider of online real estate marketplaces, information and analytics in the property markets.
The tour will feature nine games across six cities throughout June, July and August 2025.
As of 2 June, the highest hotel booking level was shown in Adelaide, with the 12 July game between the Lions and the Invitational AU & NZ XV pushing occupancy on the books to 78.5%.
A week later in Brisbane, the 19 July game between the Lions and Wallabies (1st Test) has occupancy on the books at 71.5%. At the same time last year, Adelaide and Brisbane booking levels for those dates were at 34.7% and 40.6%, respectively.
“The tour is returning to Australia for the first time in 12 years, and game nights are attracting higher-than-average demand — not only to the three actual test matches that will be played between Australia and British & Irish Lions but across the board”, said, STR’s regional director Matthew Burke.
In Sydney and Canberra, booking levels have already reached 46.0% (2 August) and 39.4% (9 July), respectively. For comparison in the week before those match days, the markets are showing booking levels at 29.3% and 17.8%, respectively.
“The data once again demonstrates the impacts of such major events in attracting additional demand to host markets”, Burke said. “The impact is even more evident considering Australian markets usually see lower occupancy during the winter months”.
For more information about the company and its products and services, visit www.costargroup.com.
