Insights - 5 June 2026
No images? Click here
NSW VISITOR ECONOMY FORUM AND NSW TOURISM AWARDS UNITE AT ICC SYDNEY
The NSW Visitor Economy Forum will return on 9 November 2026, joining with the NSW Tourism Awards for the first time to create a major new gathering for the state’s visitor economy at ICC Sydney.
Hosted by Destination NSW, the NSW Visitor Economy Forum 2026 will be free to attend and open to all visitor economy stakeholders from across industry and government.
In the evening, the NSW Tourism Awards, presented by the NSW Tourism Association, will recognise excellence and innovation across the state’s tourism industry.
Nominations for the 2026 NSW Tourism Awards close on 12 June.
Pictured above: NSW Tourism Association CEO Natalie Godward and Destination NSW CEO Karen Jones.
MAJOR INVESTMENT TO GROW ABORIGINAL TOURISM
The Australian and NSW Governments are co-investing $3.6 million to help grow Aboriginal tourism in NSW.
The NSW Aboriginal Visitor Experience Accelerator, led by Destination NSW in collaboration with Create NSW and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, will assist Aboriginal-led experiences and events across the state.
The Accelerator includes support for Aboriginal tourism businesses to attend major trade events and conferences, such as the recent Australian Tourism Exchange (above), which featured nine Aboriginal experience sellers.
Applications are also open for support to attend the Australian Indigenous Tourism Conference 2026 in November.
VIVID SYDNEY'S OLDEST VOLUNTEER
Bringing Vivid Sydney to life wouldn’t be possible without hundreds of volunteers, including 88-year-old Franklin Davies OAM, who has been part of the festival since its volunteer program first launched.
Mr Davies was awarded the Order of Australia in 2023 for his contribution to volunteering and was named Volunteer of the Year at the City of Canterbury-Bankstown’s 2026 Australia Day Awards.
Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper, Destination NSW CEO Karen Jones and Festival Director Brett Sheehy AO met Mr Davies at Customs House's The Fringe of Infinity installation to thank him for his service.
Vivid Sydney is proudly owned, managed and produced by Destination NSW.
ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE WEBINARS
Join Destination NSW for a free webinar on 18 June on delivering inclusive and accessible events. Led by inclusion experts, the webinar will include information on universal design, inclusive language, inclusive customer service and event planning tools.
TRIP.COM ACCOLADE FOR SYDNEY
Sydney has been ranked ninth in the world on Trip.com’s 2026 Global 100 – Must-visit Destinations list. Winners were announced during the Envision 2026 conference in Shanghai, with Destination NSW Regional Director, North Asia Jennifer Tung accepting the award.
SYDNEY AIRPORT LANDS STARLUX AIRLINES
Taiwanese carrier STARLUX Airlines has announced the launch of direct flights between Taipei and Sydney, commencing in 2027. Sydney Airport will be the first airport in Australia to welcome the airline. Taiwan is one of NSW’s fastest-growing travel markets, with passenger numbers rising 18 per cent in 2025.
2026 SOMMELIER'S WINE LIST WINNERS
NSW Wine has announced the winners of the 2026 NSW Sommelier's Wine List Awards, with Shun Eto from Altitude Restaurant taking home top honours. Proudly supported by Destination NSW, the awards shine a light on the sommeliers and businesses that best showcase NSW wines and producers.
GLOBAL WELLNESS DAY CELEBRATION
Sydney will be the first city to celebrate Global Wellness Day 2026 on 13 June. Well Traveller will host a launch event in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Other free experiences will include gentle movement classes, sound baths, guided meditations and mindfulness sessions.
GET INVOLVED IN GLOBAL WELLNESS DAY
New research from the Global Wellness Institute shows Australia is the world's fifth largest wellness tourism market. Destination NSW has tips on how accommodation and experience providers can get involved in Global Wellness Day celebrations.
BOOST FOR EASTWOOD NIGHTTIME ECONOMY
Ryde City Council has received a $250,000 SEP Kickstart grant to create the state's latest Special Entertainment Precinct (SEP) in Eastwood, including Koreatown and Chinatown. There are currently nine SEPs in operation in NSW.
EXTENDED TRADING FOR WORLD CUP
The NSW Government is boosting local hospitality venues with extended trading hours for licensed venues statewide during the FIFA World Cup 2026™ from 11 June to 19 July. There will also be two free public live sites in Sydney.
VISITOR ECONOMY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS
ICC SYDNEY ACHIEVES GOLD STATUS IN NATIONAL EQUALITY PROGRAM: The venue achieved Gold Tier status in Pride in Diversity’s Australian Workplace Equality Index. Learn more
QTOPIA SYDNEY ANNOUNCES LINE-UP FOR PRIDE FEST 2026: The festival’s biggest-ever program will feature more than 300 events to celebrate International Pride Month from 1-30 June 2026. Learn more
APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR PURPLE FLAG 2026 ACCREDITATION ROUND: The Purple Flag program recognises areas that meet high standards for safety, diversity and vibrancy, assuring people they are visiting a well-managed night-time economy. Learn more
APPLICATIONS CLOSING TO ATTEND AUSTRALIA MARKETPLACE JAPAN AND KOREA 2026: The Tourism Australia event will be held in Tokyo from 2-4 September. Learn more
APPLICATIONS CLOSING TO ATTEND G'DAY AUSTRALIA 2026: The Tourism Australia event will be held in Darwin from 13-15 October 2026. Learn more
TARGETED INVESTMENT ROUND OPENS TO SECURE STATE'S FUEL FUTURE: Expressions of Interest are open for major investment projects designed to strengthen fuel security and resilience in NSW. Learn more
PROJECT SUNRISE COMPLETES MAIDEN TEST FLIGHT: The Qantas Airbus A350-1000ULR will fly non-stop from London and New York to Australia's East Coast when it launches. 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
DID YOU ENJOY THIS NEWSLETTER? Forward it to colleagues and friends so they can subscribe too. Was this issue forwarded to you? Click here to sign up
