Every year, Gather Round sees all AFL matches from one round played in a designated host city. / Credit: FamVeld via Shutterstock

Adelaide is experiencing a notable increase in hotel bookings ahead of the Australian Football League’s (AFL) Gather Round, scheduled from Thursday, 10 April to Sunday, 13 April 2025.

Data from CoStar’s latest Forward STAR report indicates that hotel occupancy rates during this period are tracking six percentage points higher than those of the 2024 event at a similar interval before commencement.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Peak occupancy expected during key matches

Occupancy rates are projected to peak at 90.6% on Friday, 11 April, coinciding with the match between Collingwood and the Sydney Swans at Adelaide Oval.

The following day, Saturday, 12 April, is also anticipated to have high occupancy levels, with rates reaching 86.2%.

Strategic timing aligns with school holidays

The 2025 Gather Round marks the third edition of this event, with all 18 AFL teams converging in Adelaide.

The scheduling strategically aligns with school holidays across South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia, New South Wales, and Queensland, potentially contributing to increased attendance and hotel bookings.

Historical comparisons highlight growth

In 2024, hotel booking levels peaked at 84.0% on the second night of the event and 83.1% on the third night.

The actualised performance during that period saw record-high average daily rates (ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPAR) on 6 April 2024, at AUD405.03 and AUD359.85, respectively.

The second-highest daily ADR (AUD389.65) and RevPAR (AUD343.82) were recorded on 5 April 2024.

The Gather Round fixture includes several notable matchups.

Adelaide will face Geelong at Adelaide Oval on Thursday, 10 April, to open the round. On Friday, 11 April, Collingwood will play against the Sydney Swans at the same venue. Saturday’s schedule features North Melbourne versus Gold Coast at Barossa Park and Carlton against West Coast at Adelaide Oval, among other games.

The round concludes on Sunday, 13 April, with Richmond facing Fremantle at Barossa Park and St Kilda playing against GWS at Norwood Oval.

The AFL’s Gather Round continues to be a significant driver of tourism and hotel occupancy in Adelaide, reflecting the event’s growing popularity and economic impact on the region.