Some Brisbane hotels are seeing a 20 per cent hike in the weekend accommodation bookings as Brisbane's big weekend of football and festivals nears.
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Hotels close to Suncorp Stadium and South Bank are either full, or close to full.
Big hotel groups are seeing a 10 per cent bookings hike across the entire weekend, with many hotels completely booked out Friday and Saturday nights.
This weekend's big three events include the Brisbane Broncos "do or die" clash with the Gold Coast Titans in the NRL Elimination final at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.
On Saturday night, the Wallabies play the Springboks in one of rugby's most anticipated clashes, also at Suncorp Stadium.
And at South Bank Parklands and the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, the 2016 Brisbane Festival is underway until September 24, while a surprisingly low-key Brisbane Writers Festival has also begun at the nearby State Library.
Ticket sales are predicted to reach 50,000 for the Broncos/Titans Friday night elimination final at Suncorp Stadium, which is a sell-out if 52,500 tickets are sold.
Around 30,000 tickets will be sold for the Wallabies clash with the Springboks on Saturday night.
"Look the Broncos/Titans game could well sell out," one source said.
"There could well be a boost in sales Thursday and Friday."
Gambaro's five star hotel at Caxton Street – a quick walk from Suncorp Stadium – said its weekend bookings were 20 per cent above a standard weekend.
The luxury Caxton Street hotel has 68 rooms and traditionally notices a big swell on football weekends.
"We're normally operating around 50 per cent on weekends, but this weekend, we would be 20 per cent up on that definitely," one staff member said.
Accor Group vice-president Matt Young said many hotels would be full on Friday and Saturday night. Accor manages Sofitel, Novotel, Mecure, Ibis, Sebel and Quay West hotels among nine in inner-city Brisbane.
"Those events are fantastic for Brisbane," Mr Young said.
"The whole hotel market benefits from them."
"They really deliver an economic benefit to the city."
Mantra Group runs nine hotels in Brisbane in Edward Street, Spring Hill, South Bank, North Quay and in the inner-city.
Chief executive officer Bob East said events now played a crucial role in Brisbane's tourism industry.
"This weekend's major sporting and cultural events have directly contributed to the significant boost in occupancy levels at Mantra Group's nine Mantra and BreakFree hotels in Brisbane," Mr East said.
"Our hotels closest to Suncorp Stadium and the South Bank entertainment precinct are either full or nearing capacity," he said.
"Our properties in and around Fortitude Valley are also experiencing solid occupancy from the Big Sound Music Event and usual weekend demand."
Queensland Tourism Industry Council chief executive officer Daniel Gschwind said sporting events and recurring events like the Brisbane Festival were drawing people to Brisbane as "corporate travel" softened over the past 12 months.
"There has been a lot of excitement about the footy and the Brisbane Festival which is starting to develop a good reputation with the community and nationally certainly," Mr Gschwind said. "And certainly the hotels would be very happy with what is going on."
"The Brisbane Festival attracts huge numbers of people and there would be plenty staying in hotels.
"The hotel managers have long made the point that with the corporate market being a bit softer over the last year or two, it is events that will really stimulate the leisure market and help to fill hotel rooms over the forseeable future."
