Insights - 30 August 2024
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WESTERN SYDNEY AIRPORT LANDS FIRST
INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE
Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) has secured its first international airline, with Singapore Airlines confirming its intention to operate from the airport.
WSI CEO Simon Hickey said: “This inaugural international airline arrangement is a fantastic milestone for Western Sydney International Airport and reflects the positive response we’ve had from airlines, especially in regard to the unprecedented opportunities our 24-hour capability unlocks."
Industry stakeholders have welcomed the announcement.
Business Western Sydney Executive Director David Borger said: “The arrival of Singapore Airlines as the first international carrier at Western Sydney International Airport marks a significant milestone and is a huge vote of confidence in the region’s economic future.
“Singapore Airlines, with its extensive network covering 76 international destinations across 32 countries and six continents, underscores the high calibre and prestige that our new airport will unlock for Western Sydney."
Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) Australia CEO Margy Osmond said: “This is a significant milestone for Western Sydney International and signals a major boost for the visitor economy of Western Sydney, NSW and Australia more broadly.
“This will increase flights to Australia from one of Asia’s busiest international aviation hubs, helping bring more overseas visitors to our shores from across the region, whilst providing a seamless travel experience when they land.”
Learn more here.
TOURISM GOLD RUSH FOR WESTERN SYDNEY
NAB has released a report that describes the region surrounding Western Sydney Airport (WSI) as preparing for a "new gold rush".
"Investors are piling in; established businesses are growing and new ones emerging; and everywhere from Homebush to Lithgow, the Hawkesbury to Sutherland, there are opportunities to be embraced," the NAB report said.
"The airport itself, projected for a late 2026 opening, will be a game-changing piece of infrastructure."
Destination NSW is holding a series of Inbound Strategy Workshops in September 2024 to prepare businesses to sell experiences via travel distribution channels to international visitors arriving in NSW via Western Sydney Airport. A virtual workshop will also be held on 19 September to enable visitor economy businesses from across NSW to take part.
Learn more about the workshops here.
Premier Chris Minns recently addressed the Western Sydney Tourism Taskforce, where he announced that international visitor spending in Western Sydney had surged by 29.4 per cent in the past five years to $1.6 billion.
He said one in every 10 visitor dollars in NSW were already being spent in Western Sydney, even before WSI opens in late 2026. The airport will have capacity to accommodate up to 10 million passengers per year.
"The sky is literally the limit when those visitors arrive," Mr Minns said.
Watch highlights from the Western Sydney Tourism Taskforce event here.
WESTERN SYDNEY TOURISM AWARDS
FINALISTS ANNOUNCED
The inaugural Western Sydney Tourism Awards 2024 has announced its finalists across 13 categories.
The awards, hosted by Western Sydney Tourism NSW Inc and supported by South West Sydney Tourism Taskforce Inc, celebrate industry excellence. Winners will be announced during a ceremony on 24 October 2024 at The William Inglis Hotel, Warwick Farm.
Click here to view the finalists.
CONTENT LIBRARY PUTS FOCUS ON WESTERN SYDNEY
Destination NSW has added new photography to its Content Library that highlights the diverse visitor experiences available in Western Sydney.
From picturesque nature reserves and farms to vibrant cultural hubs, the photos feature iconic eateries, family-friendly museums, skate parks and historical locations.
This new suite of content is available for stakeholders to use to promote and showcase the rich visitor offering across Greater Sydney.
BEST TOURISM RESTAURANTS IN NSW
Restaurant & Catering Australia (R&CA) this week announced the winners of the
2024 Restaurant & Catering Hostplus Awards for Excellence for Sydney and regional NSW.
This year’s Sydney major award winners included Quay Restaurant, which took out Restaurant of the Year and Premium Dining Restaurant; while Arrana in Springwood was awarded the major award for Regional Restaurant of the Year and Contemporary Australian Formal Restaurant.
Destination NSW sponsored the two Tourism Award categories: Tourism Restaurant (Sydney) and Tourism Restaurant (Regional NSW).
Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham presented the awards, with Luna Lu in The Rocks taking out Tourism Restaurant (Sydney) and Potager in Carool winning Tourism Restaurant (Regional NSW).
NSW's vibrant culinary scene is a key ingredient in the mix of products and experiences that contribute to visitor economy growth. In the year ended March 2024, 4.8 million domestic overnight visitors enjoyed food experiences in NSW, injecting more than $6 billion into the NSW visitor economy, while one million international visitors took part in food experiences and spent $5.5 billion during their NSW trips.
REGISTER TO ATTEND NSW VISITOR ECONOMY FORUM
The NSW Visitor Economy Forum 2024 will be held on 3 October at the ICC Sydney. Attendees will share insights and hear from industry experts on growth opportunities for the visitor economy. The event is free to attend and open to all visitor economy stakeholders including operators, trade partners, industry representatives and government colleagues. Learn more here.
AVIATION WHITE PAPER RELEASED
The Australian Government has released an Aviation White Paper that features key focus areas on consumer rights, increasing competition, supporting regional and general aviation and helping the sector decarbonise. The White Paper includes 56 policies, with the centrepiece being an independent Aviation Industry Ombuds Scheme and a new Charter of Customer Rights.
SXSW SYDNEY SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED
The next wave of speakers has been announced for SXSW Sydney 2024. They include Australian tennis star and startup investor Nick Kyrgios; Google Analytics and Google Voice founder Wesley Chan (above); musician Tim Minchin; and TV/film icon and director Lucy Lawless. The Kid LAROI has joined as the music keynote. Destination NSW is a proud partner of SXSW Sydney, which will spotlight Sydney as the creative industries capital of the Asia Pacific from 14-20 October 2024.
CELEBRATE SMALL BUSINESS MONTH 2024
NSW Small Business Month is returning in October 2024 with a refreshed program. It will include a series of Small Business Month Expos that will take place in eight regions of NSW. The expos will give small business owners and their staff the opportunity to network with government agencies and large organisations, connect with other small businesses, gain knowledge and learn new skills. Speakers will explore the latest trends and insights shaping the small business landscape.
NEW INTERNATIONAL STUDENT LEGISLATION
The Australian Government has announced that subject to the passage of legislation it will set a National Planning Level (NPL) for new international student commencements of 270,000 for 2025. The NPL is divided between the higher education and vocational education and training (VET) sectors. This will bring the number of new international student commencements, across higher education and VET, back to pre-pandemic levels.
REX SLOTS PROTECTED AT SYDNEY AIRPORT
The Australian Government is protecting Rex’s regional NSW slots at Sydney Airport during the administration process. Australian Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King has directed the Slot Manager at Sydney Airport to suspend the application of the ‘use it or lose it’ test on Rex’s regional NSW slot holdings for the current and upcoming scheduling season.
SYDNEY GATEWAY TO OPEN ON SUNDAY
The toll-free Sydney Gateway connection to Sydney Airport will open to traffic from the motorway network on 1 September 2024. The new motorway aims to save motorists an estimated 17 minutes driving time between the airport and St Peters Interchange, which connects to the M8, and also the main routes to Western Sydney - the M5 and M4.
ABORIGINAL LANGUAGES GRANTS
The NSW Government has announced more than $4 million in grants to fund 74 Aboriginal language projects across the state. Aboriginal languages are central to Aboriginal culture and vital to sustaining traditional knowledge. The growth and strengthening of Aboriginal languages and culture is also a key outcome for Closing the Gap.
AUSTRALIAN FASHION WEEK DATES ANNOUNCED
IMG has announced Australian Fashion Week 2025 will take place from 12–16 May 2025 at Carriageworks in Sydney. Destination NSW is a proud strategic sponsor of the event. The investment will enable IMG to waive designer participation fees in 2025. Australian Fashion Week is Australia’s leading global fashion platform, featuring established and next generation Australian designers.
UNITED CUP THIRD EDITION ANNOUNCED
The world’s top-ranked tennis players will arrive in NSW in December for the United Cup. The mixed team tennis event is proudly supported by Destination NSW, with the group stage in Sydney running from 28 December to 1 January. The Sydney quarter-finals will be held from 2-3 January. Sydney will also host two semi-finals on 4 January, followed by the United Cup final on 5 January.
VISITOR ECONOMY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS
LIVE SITES FOR PARALYMPICS FANS: From 28 August to 8 September 2024, fans will be able to cheer on Paralympic Games athletes at Sydney’s Darling Harbour free live site. Learn more
CAMERON SMITH JOINS 2024 NSW OPEN GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP: The 2022 Champion Golfer of the Year will participate in the Destination NSW-supported event at Murray Downs Golf & Country Club in November. Learn more
DAILY MANILA-SYDNEY FLIGHTS ANNOUNCED: Cebu Pacific Air will commence daily flights from Manila to Sydney from 30 November 2024. Learn more
$200 MILLION TO IMPROVE REGIONAL ROAD SAFETY: Round two of the NSW Government's Towards Zero-Safer Roads Program will support 72 separate road safety projects across regional, rural and remote parts of the state. Learn more
NEW TRANS-TASMAN AIRLINE PARTNERSHIP: Australian and New Zealand regulators have authorised a codeshare agreement between Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand. Learn more
MCWILLIAMS WINES JOINS PARALYMPICS: NSW-based McWilliams has been announced as the official wine supplier of the Australia Paralympic team. 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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