Insights - 3 May 2024
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$1.4 MILLION PROGRAM TO BOOST VISITOR ECONOMY WORKFORCE IN REGIONAL NSW
A $1.4 million campaign to encourage young people, First Nations Australians, seniors and people living with a disability to pursue a career in tourism is being rolled out across regional NSW.
Funded by the Australian Government and delivered by Destination NSW, the NSW Choose Tourism Program will address industry workforce shortages by encouraging Australians to pursue a career in the visitor economy while helping operators to attract, retain and upskill staff.
Expanding on the success of the 2022–23 pilot program tailored for the NSW South Coast, the new roll-out will include five diverse initiatives to help bolster the tourism sector workforce in regional areas across the state.
The initiatives include a schools’ program, targeted career promotion, vocational webinars, mentoring by industry leaders and professional development events. The Choose Tourism Grant Program funding will also support a partnership with TAFE NSW to develop bespoke visitor economy training programs.
Read the media release here.
The NSW Centre of Excellence is presenting a series of full-day professional development sessions in May and June 2024 as part of the NSW Choose Tourism Program. They will be held at the following locations:
- Queanbeyan - 21 May 2024
- Tamworth - 30 May 2024
- Albury - 6 June 2024
- Orange - 17 June 2024
- Newcastle - 21 June 2024
- Byron Bay - 26 June 2024
- Wollongong - 28 June 2024
Click here to learn more.
NSW Choose Tourism will present a webinar on 23 May 2024 that will explore how visitor economy stakeholders can future-proof their businesses. Register here.
AMY POEHLER JOINS VIVID SYDNEY 2024
Award-winning actress and comedian Amy Poehler is joining this year’s Vivid Sydney line-up for a special Vivid Ideas event at the Sydney Opera House on 27 May.
'Vivid Sydney Presents - In Conversation with Amy Poehler' will be moderated by Zan Rowe. It will feature a first look at Disney and Pixar’s ‘Inside Out 2’, which sees the star once again voice the role of Joy.
The event sold out less than 24 hours after going on sale. However, festival goers can enjoy a bespoke ‘Inside Out 2’ projection that will light up Customs House at Circular Quay in a once-off, 30-minute projection later in the evening.
Vivid Sydney is proudly owned, managed and produced by Destination NSW. The multi-artform festival will transform Sydney from 24 May to 15 June 2024. It attracts millions of domestic and international visitors each year, fuelling economic growth while fostering a cultural celebration across Light, Music, Ideas and Food.
VIVID SYDNEY LOCAL BUSINESS PROGRAM GOES LIVE
The Vivid Sydney 2024 Local Business Program is live and highlights more than 100 businesses in Sydney CBD.
Participating businesses will dress their shopfronts, buildings or vessels with Vivid Sydney assets and promote exclusive experiences, offers, packages, tours and menus throughout the event.
From harbour cruises and festival-themed cocktails to silent discos and everything in between, the program will shine a light on Sydney visitor economy businesses.
WORKSHOPS: EXPERIENCE DEVELOPMENT
Destination NSW is presenting a series of Experience Development workshops for visitor economy businesses during 2024. These free, full-day workshops are designed to assist businesses including tour, attraction and accommodation providers to create and refine visitor experiences that meet visitor needs and showcase the strengths of NSW. Focus areas include agritourism, nature, culinary and wellness experiences. The next workshop will be held in Tumbarumba on 9 May.
REBOUND IN PASSENGER NUMBERS
The ACCC’s latest Airport Monitoring Report shows the aeronautical operations of Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth returned to profit in 2022-23. During the first full financial year since COVID-19 travel restrictions ended, the four airports reported a total of 100.7 million passengers passing through, up 127.4 per cent from the previous year. However, the number of domestic passengers was still 10.4 per cent below 2018-19 levels and international passengers were 31 per cent below.
RIVERINA MURRAY AGRITOURISM STRATEGY
Destination Riverina Murray has launched its Riverina Murray Agritourism Development Strategy which aims to transform the region into a premier agritourism destination. The strategy, now available for public access, outlines a roadmap to leverage the agricultural assets and natural beauty of the area.
BUSINESS EVENTS FAMIL TO CENTRAL WEST
Destination NSW hosted business event buyers for a three-day famil to Orange and Bathurst earlier this month. It was the second in the Business Events NSW famil series for 2024, which is taking qualified buyers on experience-led itineraries to showcase immersive visitor experiences in regional NSW.
NAROOMA OYSTER FESTIVAL
NSW rock oysters and sustainable seafood will be spotlighted at Narooma Oyster Festival on 3-4 May 2024. Southern NSW’s largest food and wine event will feature demonstrations from chefs including Hao Chen, Serif Kaya and Corey Costelloe, alongside events including Australia’s Oyster Shucking Championships. Narooma Oyster Festival is supported proudly by Destination NSW.
MUDGEE CLASSIC RETURNS FOR 2024
The 2024 Mudgee Classic will return on 4-5 May 2024. After a successful inaugural event in 2023, the Dirty Mudgee Gravel Ride will take place on 4 May. The course will showcase Mudgee region's scenery and vineyards. On 5 May 2024, the road cycling event will see riders complete courses ranging from 35km to 170km. All courses showcase Mudgee region, extending to Cooyal, Ulan and Gulgong.
ACCC TO AUTHORISE VIRGIN CODE SHARE
The ACCC has issued a draft determination proposing to grant authorisation to Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand for code sharing arrangements on trans-Tasman routes. The ACCC said the arrangement had the potential to increase ticketing choices for travellers. Virgin Australia currently operates services on routes including Queenstown-Sydney. The proposed arrangements do not apply to these routes. The ACCC is seeking submissions on the draft determination.
WALLABIES SYDNEY TESTS ON SALE
Tickets for the Wallabies 2024 Home Tests are on sale to the public. A two-Test series against Wales will kick off with the first match in Sydney on 6 July, part of a double header that will also see the Wallaroos play Fijiana at Allianz Stadium.
On 20 July, the Wallabies will return to Allianz Stadium where they will meet Georgia. The Wallabies final home match of 2024 will see a Bledisloe Cup Test return to Sydney’s Accor Stadium on 21 September. All matches are supported proudly by Destination NSW.
SYDNEY MARATHON BREAKS RECORDS
The 2024 Sydney Marathon has sold out all currently available entries and will make history on 15 September with 24,000 registered participants, setting the stage for Australia’s largest-ever marathon. As the event makes its final push to achieve Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM) status, the sellout solidifies its position as one of the great marathon races in the world. This milestone surpasses the Australian record set by the Sydney Marathon last year of 17,000 registered participants.
CONTENT SUPPORT FOR NSW BUSINESSES
A selection of images featuring 237 NSW operators have been captured as part of the National Experience Content Initiative (NECI), a $12 million content creation program in partnership with Destination NSW and Tourism Australia. NECI aimed to support visitor economy businesses across Australia in their recovery and drive increased visitation by helping them to better market their experiences and attractions. The assets can be ordered and downloaded through the Destination NSW Content Library.
AUSTRALIA MARKETPLACE JAPAN AND KOREA
Applications are now open for Australia Marketplace Japan 2024 and Australia Marketplace Korea 2024. Australia Marketplace events represent an opportunity for representatives from the Australian Tourism Industry to establish business relationships with key qualified travel agencies, wholesalers and tour operators in Japan and Korea. Each event will include two days each of pre-scheduled appointments between buyers and sellers as well as networking opportunities.
NEW CONNECT TO COUNTRY OUT NOW
Connect to Country, a digital publication presented by Tourism Australia and Discover Aboriginal Experiences, has released its latest issue. NSW businesses featured include Burrawa Aboriginal Climb Experience, Firescreek Botanical Winery Aboriginal Experiences, Bundyi Cultural Tours and Ngaran Ngaran Culture Awareness. Discover Aboriginal Experiences is one of eight marketing collectives in the Signature Experiences of Australia Program, which is supported by Destination NSW.
ICC SYDNEY CELEBRATES 10 YEARS
ICC Sydney is marking the 10-year milestone since design work began on the venue. The venue opened in December 2016, with more than 500 events in the calendar. It has since welcomed 6.4 million attendees, contributing $3.9 billion to the local economy. ICC Sydney already has 1126 events scheduled through to 2034 for an estimated 4.7 million attendees.
ATEC ACCESSIBLE & INCLUSIVE HOST WEBINAR
Inclusive Travel Advocate Martin Heng will be joining ATEC for a webinar on 8 May 2024. Exclusive to NSW visitor economy businesses, the webinar will explore what an accessible traveller looks like and what they are seeking from hosts. The session is an opportunity for a deeper dive into the segment or an introduction for businesses that are only just beginning to explore it.
AUSTRALIAN RETAIL TURNOVER FALLS
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show Australian retail turnover fell 0.4 per cent in March 2024. ABS head of retail statistics Ben Dorber said: “Consumers pulled back on retail spending in March as cost-of-living pressures remained high. Outside of the pandemic period and introduction of the GST, this is the weakest growth on record when comparing turnover to the same time in the previous year.”
CONFERENCE BOOST FOR BLUE MOUNTAINS
The Schwartz Family Company has purchased Leura Gardens Resort. The venue features extensive grounds and gardens, multiple conference and events spaces, and the Olive Tree Restaurant. The property will operate in conjunction with its sister property Fairmont Resort. CEO Jerry Schwartz said the two properties would offer “one of the most comprehensive conference and event venues in regional NSW”.
THOUSANDS OF BONZA PASSENGERS ASSISTED
The Australian Government and airlines have worked closely to ensure thousands of affected passengers get to their destinations after Bonza’s flight cancellations. As of 3pm yesterday, the Government hotline had received around 2800 calls from Bonza passengers and helped them return home; Qantas had made around 560 re-bookings for passengers; Virgin Australia had rebooked more than 1250 passengers; and Jetstar had made more than 1780 re-bookings.
PAPERBARK CAMP CELEBRATES 25 YEARS
The first ‘glamping’ property in Australia - Paperbark Camp on the NSW South Coast – has turned 25 and recently celebrated the milestone birthday with an under-the-stars banquet. The eco retreat was opened on April 27, 1999 in Jervis Bay by Jeremy and Irena Hutchings who were inspired by the safari tents they saw on an African holiday. Hutchings family still owns the award-winning camp, which attracts guests from across Australia and around the world.
VISITOR ECONOMY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS
HAVE YOUR SAY ON POWERHOUSE PLANS: The community is being encouraged to share their feedback on the proposed design to revitalise the Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo. Learn more
2024 IRONMAN 70.3 PORT MACQUARIE: Australia’s longest-running IRONMAN event returns on 5 May 2024, supported proudly by Destination NSW. Learn more
WAY FORWARD FOR SYDNEY TRAINS AS FINAL RAIL REVIEW RELEASED: The review outlines key challenges and recommendations, including major system upgrades, fleet reliability and workforce gaps. Learn more
NEW SYDNEY WATERFRONT PERFORMANCE MARCH 2024: There were 8.1 million precinct visits, up seven per cent month on month. Visitation was up four per cent year on year and one per cent ahead of March 2019. Learn more
RECOVERY SUPPORT EXTENDED FOR FLOOD-AFFECTED NSW COMMUNITIES: Disaster assistance will be extended to the Armidale, Campbelltown, Lismore, Moree Plains, Northern Beaches and Port Stephens Local Government Areas following heavy rainfall and flooding across NSW from 1 April 2024. Learn more
$5 MILLION TO CARE FOR KOALAS IN SYDNEY'S SOUTH WEST: The NSW Government has announced new funding to establish a koala care centre in the Macarthur region and support volunteer rehabilitators. Learn more
COUNCILS TO TRIAL PLANNING AI: Councils will soon have the opportunity to trial AI in their local planning systems following a $5.6 million investment from the NSW Government. Learn more
BEST NEW HOTELS IN THE WORLD: AFAR magazine has announced its picks for the 31 best new hotels of 2024, with Capella Sydney making the list. Learn more
NORTHERN RIVERS GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT WORKSHOPS: A series of online workshops will be held for small business to explore the contract opportunities available in the area. Learn more
FOLLOW DESTINATION NSW ON LINKEDIN: Stay up to date with all the latest Destination NSW initiatives by following us on LinkedIn. Click here
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