Insights - 27 February 2026
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AUSTRALIA'S BEST BEACHES FOR 2026
Australia's Best Beaches for 2026 have been announced, with Bate Bay in Sydney’s south claiming the prestigious top spot and Byron Bay's Tallow Beach securing fourth place.
The annual list is curated by veteran beach expert and Tourism Australia Beach Ambassador Brad Farmer AM, who described Bate Bay's collection of nine beaches, including four ocean pools and Gunnamatta Bay bathing enclosure, as "quite simply, stunning".
"With glorious golden sands and a cosmopolitan vibe, this picturesque stretch of coastline feels like a hidden gem right under your nose but is easily accessible by train from the city centre," Mr Farmer said.
SYDNEY LIGHTS UP FOR THE AFC WOMEN'S
ASIAN CUP 2026™
AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ kicks off from 1 March, with six matches scheduled at Western Sydney Stadium and five at Stadium Australia.
Among the highlights will be the Matildas versus Korea Republic match on International Women’s Day (8 March).
A giant football was illuminated on the Parramatta River on 21 February and will float there until 11 March, visible to thousands of commuters and visitors each day and aligning with Western Sydney Stadium’s match-hosting period.
A one-night-only drone display over Darling Harbour on 22 February also ignited excitement for the tournament.
The AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ is proudly supported by Destination NSW.
WESTERN SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT PREVIEW
Destination NSW hosted a first look at Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) last week for tourism operators and agents, ahead of the first passenger flights landing in October 2026.
Key Inbound Tour Operators (ITOs) and Online Travel Agents (OTAs) joined the exclusive preview, which provided valuable insight into the terminal’s facilities and the surrounding visitor economy infrastructure.
WSI has confirmed four major launch airline partners—Qantas, Jetstar, Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand. Flight schedules and ticket sales will start being released in the coming weeks.
Learn more here.
RUNWAY RUN FOR WESTERN SYDNEY
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Western Sydney International Airport will host a Runway Run/Walk on 26 April 2026, which is expected to attract participants from across the country.
WSI CEO Simon Hickey said the event would give runners and walkers behind-the-scenes access to the airport's new 3.7km runway before it welcomes its first passengers and planes.
Registrations will support Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation.
DEVELOPMENT PHASE FOR HIGH-SPEED RAIL
The Australian Government has announced $659.6 million in funding for the development phase of high-speed rail between Newcastle and Sydney. High-speed rail will cut travel times to around one hour from Newcastle to Central Sydney, with travel from the Central Coast to either Sydney or Newcastle reduced to 30 minutes.
POWERHOUSE PARRAMATTA PROGRESS
Construction of Powerhouse Parramatta is now 95 per cent complete. The NSW Government is delivering the world-class institution, which will help drive the local economy, create jobs and attract millions of visitors to Western Sydney. Once complete, it will be the largest museum in NSW, offering 18,000 square metres of exhibition and public space.
RECORD CROWD FOR SYDNEY 500
Supercars celebrated a bumper crowd at Sydney Motorsport Park for the 2026 DUNLOP Sydney 500, with 52,419 fans attending — up 14 per cent year-on-year and the largest weekend crowd ever recorded for a Supercars event at the venue. The season opener of the Repco Supercars Championship was proudly supported by Destination NSW.
BOOKING PROGRAM FOR ABORIGINAL BUSINESSES
Applications are open for Be Bookable Online, a free program for Aboriginal-owned tourism businesses. Delivered by Destination NSW in partnership with Bookable Tourism, the program will help businesses set up booking software so travellers can book and pay for their experiences online. Applications close on 6 March 2026.
WEBINAR: VISITOR EXPERIENCE RESEARCH
Destination NSW will host a free 'NSW visitor experiences - state of play' webinar on 4 March 2026, featuring research by FiftyFive5 on the experiences that are resonating with domestic visitors to NSW. Register to learn more about the types of experiences that are appealing to visitors, practical tips for using the insights and information on how to access the new resources.
THE WORLD'S BEST COFFEE SHOPS
Four Sydney cafes have been recognised on the 2026 World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops list: Only Coffee Project (no.4), Toby’s Estate (no.5), Beta Coffee (no.13) and Single O (no.53). Only Coffee has three cafés in Sydney, located in Crows Nest, Artarmon and North Sydney. Its Crows Nest espresso bar was also crowned Oceania’s Best Coffee Shop for 2026.
CUTTING RED TAPE FOR CAFES AND RESTAURANTS
Running a cafe or restaurant in NSW will be made easier as the NSW Government looks to reduce paperwork, simplify approvals and make compliance clearer and fairer. Learnings boosting the nighttime economy will provide the basis for lifting productivity during daylight hours from Newtown to Narrabri and Bankstown to Ballina.
DESTINATION NSW BOARD VISITS GRIFFITH
The Destination NSW Board met this month in Griffith, one of several board meetings held in regional NSW each year to facilitate engagement with local visitor economy stakeholders. The two-day visit was an opportunity to learn more about the Riverina Murray region, which is a key contributor to the growth of the NSW visitor economy.
MARDI GRAS ROUTE JOINS HERITAGE REGISTER
The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade Route has been added to the National Heritage List, recognising its history and value to Australia. More than 200 floats and 12,000 marchers will bring this year's Parade to life on 28 February. The Parade is proudly supported by Destination NSW.
TOP TOURISM TOWNS NOMINATIONS
NSW Top Tourism Town nominations have been extended and will close on 4 March 2026. This is the final chance for councils, Accredited Visitor Information Centres and tourism associations to nominate their towns. Winners will be revealed at the LGNSW Destination and Visitor Economy Conference.
VISITOR ECONOMY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS
TICKETS ON SALE FOR ROYAL EASTER SHOW: The event will bring the best of rural NSW to the city from 2-13 April 2026, proudly supported by Destination NSW. Learn more
SAILGP RETURNS TO SYDNEY HARBOUR: The world’s best sailors and high-tech foiling catamarans will battle it out from 28 February to 1 March 2026, proudly supported by Destination NSW. Learn more
WOLLONGONG TO HOST WOMEN'S NSW OPEN GOLF TOURNAMENT: The 2026 Ford Women’s NSW Open will be held at Wollongong Golf Club from 26 February to 1 March, proudly supported by Destination NSW. Learn more
CITY CELEBRATES OPENING OF EXPANDED NEWCASTLE ART GALLERY: NSW Governor Margaret Beazley AC cut the ribbon to unveil the $48 million transformation. Learn more
TRADING ON PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN NSW: NSW Fair Trading has updated its guidelines on public holiday trading. Learn more
JOURNEY BEYOND ACQUIRES SEALINK TOURISM PORTFOLIO: The acquisition includes SeaLink and Captain Cook’s operations across Sydney Harbour. Learn more
QANTAS ANNOUNCES LAS VEGAS-SYDNEY ROUTE: The new seasonal service will run from December 2026 through to March 2027. Learn more
BUSINESS TRAVEL DRIVES DOMESTIC GROWTH FOR QANTAS GROUP: The group's domestic operations delivered $1.05 billion in earnings before interest and taxes in the first half of FY26, an increase of 14 per cent year-on-year. Learn more
BOOKING.COM ON THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL: Booking Holdings CEO discusses how AI, personalisation and the “connected trip” could redefine value for travellers. 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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