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There’s been a surge in bookings in Melbourne for the weekend of the Australian Grand Prix in 2022.Credit:Joe Armao

Melbourne’s hotel capacity is already two-thirds occupied for the Saturday night of the grand prix weekend in early April,and that world-class sporting event will be followed by the World Surf League feature at Bells Beach for the first time since 2019.

Qantas Hotels have also seen a 56 per cent spike in bookings made into Melbourne for the grand prix weekend,compared with weekends in January and February.

The Melbourne Comedy Festival will run over that same period,with the start of the AFL season in mid-March also likely to attract interstate fans to Melbourne.

“Hotel bookings have increased strongly for the Formula One race weekend,and we’re expecting more visitors to return to Victoria throughout the year as people feel more comfortable travelling,” said the Minister for Sport and Major Events,Martin Pakula.

The reopening of Australia’s borders on February 7 to international visitors has gained significant global media coverage.

The Visit Melbourne website has seen a rise in online visits since that date,with the strongest increases seen from Singapore (up 72 per cent,week on week),New Zealand (33 per cent) and the UK (20 per cent).

“Welcoming international visitors back to Victoria will deliver major benefits to our state and provide a boost to hotels,restaurants and many other businesses in the tourism sector,” Mr Pakula said.

According to Visit Victoria consumer research conducted throughout the pandemic,Melbourne is still perceived as the top Australian city for “hosts major international sporting and cultural events” and “has world-class cultural and culinary events”.

Melbourne’s hotel occupancy figure of above 66 per cent for Saturday,April 9,is a significant increase on the previous weekend.

Meanwhile,tickets fornext Friday night’s Foo Fighters concert at GMHBA Stadium sold out within hours of going online at midday on Friday. The event,ticketed for 25,000 patrons,is aimed at driving music fans to the regions.

“We are excited to welcome international talent to the stage of Geelong which will be a game-changer for our city with tourists and people from across the state coming to see what we have to offer,” Lara MP John Eren said on Wednesday.

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