Insights - 3 October 2025
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BLOCKBUSTER LONG WEEKEND FOR NSW
VISITOR ECONOMY
NSW will celebrate a record-breaking October long weekend, with Destination NSW supporting 11 blockbuster sporting and cultural events that are tipped to draw more than 100,000 visitors and generate more than $50 million for the NSW economy.
Western Sydney will kick off the festivities with 82,000 fans expected at the 2025 NRL and NRLW Grand Finals at Accor Stadium, while licensed premises showing the matches will be able to trade until midnight on Grand Final day.
Cultural highlights in Sydney’s CBD will include Cerith Wyn Evans at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Yolŋu power: the art of Yirrkala at Art Gallery of NSW, and blockbuster musicals The Book of Mormon and the Australian premiere of Back to the Future: The Musical.
Drawcards in regional NSW will include Deni Ute Muster, Wanderer Festival and the inaugural Horizontal Festival.
Learn more here.
GRAND FINAL KICKS GOALS FOR SYDNEY HOTELS
Sydney hotels are set for a major boost this Grand Final weekend, with thousands of interstate fans travelling to the city.
New figures from Accommodation Australia shows 85 per cent of all rooms in Sydney are already booked out.
Accommodation Australia NSW General Manager Stacey McBride said: “September was another strong month for Sydney hotels, with occupancy averaging 80.2 per cent - about 15 per cent higher than the same time last year - but this weekend is set to be even bigger.”
Destination NSW has created a guide to soaking up the atmosphere throughout Greater Sydney, from visiting vibrant precincts and sampling multicultural eats to enjoying cultural experiences and scenic escapes.
Learn more here.
NSW SECURES 2026 NRL AND NRLW GRAND FINALS
The NSW Government and Australian Rugby League Commission have confirmed an agreement to keep the NRL and NRLW Grand Finals in Sydney in 2026.
The deal secures the game’s biggest event in its traditional home, where it has been played every year since Australian rugby league began in Sydney in 1908—with the sole exception of 2021 due to COVID-19.
Minister for Jobs and Tourism and Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said: “This a big win for sport fans and fantastic news for pubs, hotels, restaurants and retailers in Sydney, and gives them confidence to start planning for this iconic event.”
CUTTING RED TAPE TO UNLOCK A MORE VIBRANT NSW
The NSW Government’s new Cultural State Environmental Planning Policy will make it faster and easier to stage events, host live performances and activate outdoor spaces across the state.
The reforms will unlock more live entertainment and outdoor dining; make community festivals and street fairs simpler and more affordable; extend trading during major events; and boost regional food and wine tourism with easier farm-gate dining.
The changes will help create livelier streets, thriving precincts and memorable experiences—encouraging visitors to stay longer, spend more and support local jobs.
Destination NSW and the seven Destination Networks will work alongside councils, venues and communities to help unlock the benefits of a more vibrant, welcoming NSW.
Learn more here.
MORE FESTIVALS AND MORE FUN FOR SYDNEY
The NSW Government is increasing the cap on major events in Sydney's Centennial Park.
Building on a legacy of Centennial Park concerts that have hosted Bob Dylan, James Brown and INXS—the number of events attracting more than 20,000 people will increase from eight to 12 each year.
The increase will allow Greater Sydney Parklands, as manager of Centennial Parklands, to host more large-scale cultural, sporting and music events—helping to boost Sydney’s economy and night-time vibrancy and lowering costs for festival organisers.
NSW ON TOP FOR SPRING GETAWAYS
New research by the Tourism and Transport Forum (TFF) shows NSW will be the most popular destination for Australian travellers this spring.
TTF said Australians are looking for holidays that are affordable, accessible and flexible, with 55 per cent of travellers planning a local trip. One in five (20 per cent) plan to head interstate, while 35 per cent will holiday in their own state or territory.
The survey found NSW was the most popular state for domestic travellers (29 per cent), with Sydney the most popular city (13 per cent). The most popular destination in regional NSW was the South Coast.
INVESTMENT DELIVERY AUTHORITY EOIs OPEN
Expressions of Interest (EOIs) have opened for the first round of projects to be considered by the Investment Delivery Authority (IDA), including developments related to hotels critical to visitor economy growth. The IDA will support major investment projects in NSW by cutting red tape and coordinating actions across government.
WHITE BAY POWERS UP VISITOR ECONOMY
White Bay Power Station is set to play an even bigger role in Sydney’s cultural and visitor economy future. Destination NSW recently joined a workshop with government stakeholders to explore how the site can align with the pillars of the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2035, which targets $91 billion in annual visitor expenditure by 2035.
BENNELONG AWARDED BEST WINE LIST NSW
The winners of Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards 2025 were announced at NSW Parliament House on 29 September. Among the 15 accolades for NSW venues were Best Wine List NSW, won by Bennelong at the Sydney Opera House, and Australia’s Best Club Restaurant List, won by Junction Moama.
EEGER BOOSTS VISITOR ECONOMY WORKFORCE
A digital platform called eeger is bringing together job vacancies, training programs and career development resources to connect jobseekers, employers and educators. The Australian Government-funded, industry-led platform aims to strengthen the visitor economy and grow its skilled workforce.
LANDMARK SCULPTURE UNVEILED AT MCA
The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA Australia) has unveiled Ancient Feelings (2025), a major new public artwork by British artist Thomas J Price. The striking large-scale sculpture marks the launch of the inaugural Neil Balnaves Tallawoladah Lawn Commission, the first in a three-year series of public works.
SYDNEY CELEBRATES SPACE WEEK
More than 8000 astronauts, scientists, engineers and space leaders from over 90 countries converged on Sydney this week for the 76th International Astronautical Congress. Co-hosted by the NSW Government and Australian Space Agency, a free, city-wide ’Space Week' was rolled out, with immersive experiences that fused art and science.
WORLD'S COOLEST NEIGHBOURHOODS
Time Out has unveiled its World’s Coolest Neighbourhoods 2025 list, with Burwood in Sydney’s Inner West taking out 16th place. The recognition highlights Burwood’s vibrant dining scene, nightlife and open spaces. The suburb's urban sophistication, diverse culture and strong visitor appeal will help drive the NSW Government’s goal of reaching $91 billion in visitor spending by 2035.
FIRST LOOK: NEWCASTLE ART GALLERY
Newcastle Art Gallery has offered an early glimpse of the city’s cultural future, unveiling the first new spaces in its $47 million transformation. The expansion has been made possible by a $24 million investment from the City of Newcastle, $13 million from the Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation and $5 million in funding each from the Australian and NSW governments.
VISITOR ECONOMY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS
TWO YEARS UNTIL MEN'S RUGBY WORLD CUP 2027: Destination NSW will proudly support 17 matches across Sydney and Newcastle, culminating with the Final at Accor Stadium on 13 November. Learn more
CELEBRATING CRUISE MONTH: Cruise Lines International Association Australia will support the cruise sector during October with awareness campaigns and other activations to drive growth and engagement. Learn more
GOLDEN WEEK INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL SURGE: Chinese travel websites are reporting a surge in outbound travel during Golden Week, with waterfront cities such as Sydney rising in popularity. Learn more
NSW SMALL BUSINESS MONTH EVENTS: October is NSW Small Business Month, with a program of free and low-cost events covering topics such as staffing, cyber security, marketing, artificial intelligence and mental health. Learn more
NSW SMALL BUSINESS COMMISSION LAUNCHES RED TAPE SURVEY: Small business owners and their representative bodies have been invited to share their experiences with compliance and compliance burden. Learn more
ABORIGINAL BUSINESS PRECINCT FOR KOORI KNOCKOUT: Aboriginal businesses will showcase their creativity during the NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout in Tamworth from 3-6 October 2025. Learn more
NSW MAINTAINS TRIPLE-A CREDIT RATING WITH MOODY'S: The global ratings agency cited the state’s fiscal discipline, large and diverse economy and substantial liquidity as key factors supporting the rating. Learn more
NEW INTERCITY TRAINS FOR BLUE MOUNTAINS: Mariyung trains will begin serving the line on 13 October 2025 and are expected to improve reliability and comfort for passengers. Learn more
HOUSEHOLD SPENDING RISES: New Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows households spent more on booking airline travel and accommodation during August 2025. Learn more
NSW TROUT FISHING SEASON OPENS: The October long weekend marks the start of the season, which is expected to attract tens of thousands of anglers. 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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