NEW CREATIVE POLICY TO TURBOCHARGE
VISITOR ECONOMYThe NSW Government has unveiled the state's first arts, culture and creative industries policy, Creative Communities, which includes an expanded focus on experience tourism for the state. Creative Communities is a 10-year vision for NSW that will support the traditional arts sector and cultural institutions, but also encompass the state’s unique and diverse cultural strengths. Initiatives that will assist the visitor economy include:
Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy and Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said: “We are lucky to live in NSW, a state rich in creativity. The state’s first arts, culture and creative industries policy commits the government to advocating for the value of culture, to enabling and investing in culture with the whole of government. “The NSW Government believes creativity is one of the key things to celebrate about our state. That is why we are sharing our 10-year policy framework. This is where we’re starting, and where we’re heading. This certainly not the end point. We want to unleash creativity across the state." Live Performance Australia Chief Executive
Evelyn Richardson said: "As home to many of our world-class performing arts organisations and companies, venues and festivals, we are encouraged by the recognition of the powerful contribution our cultural and creative industries make to NSW and their future potential." APRA AMCOS CEO Dean Ormston said: “We welcome the policy’s commitment to align with the key priorities of the Australian Government’s national cultural policy, Revive. The establishment of the Australian Government’s music development office Music Australia and the NSW Government’s Sound NSW provides a unique opportunity to bring together a comprehensive policy and investment framework for the next decade." Watch a video about the policy here.
GREAT SOUTHERN NIGHTS ANNOUNCES EPIC
SYDNEY & REGIONAL NSW LINE-UPThe initial line up for the Great Southern Nights 2024 festival has been revealed, featuring Australian artists including Hoodoo Gurus, Jessica Mauboy, James Reyne and many more. Great Southern Nights will supercharge NSW’s rich live music culture and vibrant night-time economy from 8 to 24 March 2024. There will more than 300 live music gigs across 17 nights throughout seven key music communities across NSW, including Sydney inner city, Western Sydney, Wollongong, Newcastle, Northern Rivers, Tamworth and Wagga Wagga. Minister for the Arts, Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy, and Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said: “Bringing back Great Southern Nights is part of our
dedication to backing live music and a shift in focus from destination travel to experience tourism with an emphasis on creating a cultural identity for the state. “This is more than a series of live gigs – it's a display of how the collective passion for live music can deliver rich cultural moments that resonate with locals and visitors alike to create unforgettable experiences. “We are creating memorable experiences for visitors to Sydney and across NSW, with diverse entertainment options when people step out at night. We want them to enjoy our outstanding locally-sourced food and drink, see a live performance, immerse themselves in the heartbeat of our entertainment precincts, explore our bars, galleries and creative spaces.” CEO of ARIA Annabelle Herd said: “ARIA is proud to be presenting Great Southern Nights again in 2024 with a super exciting and diverse line-up of amazing Aussie artists across so many genres. Great Southern Nights empowers local artists to create future nostalgia moments in regions and music communities across New South Wales by reaching new audiences and bringing people together through a shared love of brilliant live music moments." Great Southern Nights is an initiative delivered by Destination NSW in partnership with the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Learn more here.
MORE GOING-OUT DISTRICTS ACROSS GREATER SYDNEYThe Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner, through the Department of Enterprise, Investment and Trade (DEIT), has announced the second round of the Uptown Grant Program with an additional $6 million available to amplify more going-out districts across Greater Sydney. New applicants from across Greater Sydney can apply for an Uptown Grant of up to $200,000, while previous recipients can apply for funding of up to $100,000. Applications for the second round of grants are expected to open in early 2024. 24-Hour Economy Commissioner Michael
Rodrigues said: “The Uptown Program is gaining momentum – we’re already supporting 21 teams with funding to showcase what’s best in their communities, and we’ve seen exciting districts emerge like Little India in Harris Park and The Gathering in Blacktown. “There are so many exciting stories in our communities to tell and we look forward to supporting even more district teams when the second round of grants open early next year.”
DATES ANNOUNCED FOR SXSW SYDNEY 2024Following the incredible success of SXSW Sydney 2023, the dates have been announced for SXSW Sydney 2024.
The festival will be held from 14-20 October 2024, bringing together visionaries across tech and innovation, music, screen, games and culture. SXSW Sydney Chair Geoff Jones said: “To say SXSW Sydney left a mark on the city in its inaugural year is an understatement. The team pulled together a remarkable grand-scale event that brought together APAC’s creative communities in a way the region had never seen before.“ Badges for SXSW Sydney 2024 will go on sale in the new year, alongside applications for the 2024 Session Select and Music, Screen and Games showcases.
Destination NSW is proud to be partnering with SXSW Sydney to connect the world’s leading creatives to NSW and showcase Sydney as the creative industries hub of the Asia Pacific.
INDUSTRY WELCOMES NEW MIGRATION STRATEGYThe Federal Government's new Migration Strategy has been welcomed by Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) Australia, the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) and Accommodation Australia. TTF said the strategy would better address critical skills shortages and encourage the sector’s growth. CEO Margy Osmond said: "We congratulate the Federal Government for successfully engaging with industry on this policy and introducing changes to reform a migration system that has not been fit for purpose. "By scrapping the out-of-date occupation lists and introducing a new specialist skills pathway for jobs that pay above $135,000, Australia will be better placed to attract top executive and management talent, helping tourism, transport and aviation operators compete for skilled workers from around the globe.” TTF said the introduction of a new four-year visa and faster processing commitments was particularly welcome but cautioned that some areas required further development in relation to regional migration and international students, who play a critical role in the visitor economy workforce. Osmond said: "Further work is needed to address shortages of lower-paid workers in some roles below $70,000, as many smaller tourism and hospitality operators are still
struggling to find Australian workers to fill these positions." AHA CEO Stephen Ferguson said: “The migration strategy is a positive step forward in building a better system that works for business and the community and we look forward to taking part in reviews to make the system even fairer for all. "Ensuring we have a sufficient supply of skills in the regions is absolutely critical for the hotel sector, so we are pleased to see skilled visa processing for the regions has been given the highest priority." Accommodation Australia CEO Michael Johnson said: “The new three-tiered ‘Skills in Demand’ visa will bring a more streamlined approach to the current ineffective labour market testing requirement. “Also, the new seven-day turn-around for top tier workers above a new salary threshold of $135,000 is particularly welcome - as it will give better access to highly skilled migrants, including much needed hotel and accommodation managers."
OVERSEAS ARRIVALS OCTOBER 2023The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released its October 2023 arrivals data, which shows there were 607,930 short-term visitor arrivals to Australia, an annual increase of 177,460 trips but 21.5 per cent lower than October 2019. New Zealand was the largest source country, accounting for 20 per cent of all visitor arrivals. There were 235,230 short-term visitor arrivals to NSW in October 2023, an increase of 84,400 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year. The number of trips to NSW was 17.5 per cent lower than pre-COVID-19 levels in October 2019. The three leading source countries for NSW were New Zealand (37,970 trips) United States
(27,560) and United Kingdom (19,220).
BUSIEST CHRISTMAS TRAVEL PERIOD IN YEARSNew research by Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) Australia shows 75 per cent of Australians will travel for a holiday this summer. TTF CEO Margy Osmond said: “Australians ranked travel and holidays as their number one priority when it comes to non-essential spending, showing just how important it is to enjoy a getaway with friends or family.” More than 8.5 million people are expected to fly on Qantas and Jetstar services throughout
December and January on nearly 70,000 flights. This is more than half a million more people than the same time last year. The single biggest day of travel across the Qantas Group is expected to be today, with more than 150,000 customers flying throughout the day.
DISCRETIONARY SPENDING ON TRAVEL INCREASESAustralians are continuing to prioritise spending on travel and entertainment despite rising living costs, according to the latest CommBank iQ Cost of Living Insights Report. Travel and entertainment spending were the only discretionary categories to record above-inflation growth (8.2 per cent and 8.6 per cent respectively) – compared to an 8.1 per cent decrease in households good spending. Compared to the corresponding quarter in 2022, consumer spending on travel increased overall, running ahead of inflation. Among the larger sub-categories, growth was highest in cruises (up 55.3 per cent) and online travel bookings (up 34.4 per cent). CommBank iQ
Head of Innovation and Analytics Wade Tubman said: “Leaving room in the budget for experiences is a continuing trend." While discretionary spending went backwards for consumers under 55, those over 55 have increased their purchases this quarter, compared to last year.
SAFE SUMMER ON NSW ROADSHolidaymakers are reminded to plan ahead and avoid peak travel times, for road trips with minimum stress and optimum cheer this summer festive season. Based on historical data, the heaviest traffic is expected on Friday 22 December and between Boxing Day 26 December and Friday 29 December. Transport for NSW will be monitoring traffic at known pinch points on the Pacific Highway including Coffs Harbour, Tugun, and Hexham heading north, Mt Victoria on the Great Western Highway going west and Nowra, Jervis Bay, Milton and Ulladulla on the Princes Highway heading south. Transport has fast-tracked the onboarding and training of 123 councils, including all 94 regional
councils, to upload data in real time to Live Traffic NSW. This means information on emergencies or planned incidents will be fed directly through to motorists through major navigation apps including Google and Apple maps.
PEAK ATTENDANCES FOR LIVE PERFORMANCESAustralia’s live performance industry experienced a post-pandemic peak in attendance and revenue in 2022 after two years of disruption and cancellations caused by COVID-19. Live Performance Australia’s 2022 Ticket Attendance and Revenue Report shows total revenue for 2022 was $2 billion while ticketed attendance reached 24.2 million in 2022. This was the second highest recorded attendance and revenue since the report commenced in 2004. In 2022, musical theatre recorded its highest ever revenue and attendance results and is the second largest contributor to overall revenue and attendance. NSW and Victoria combined accounted for 67.8 per cent of live
performance revenue and 62.4 per cent of attendance.
MULTI-YEAR BOOST FOR ARTS AND CULTUREFrom 2025, Creative Australia will invest $42.4 million per annum in arts and cultural organisations, providing employment pathways for creative workers and strengthening Australia’s arts and cultural sector. From 2025-2028, 159 organisations will benefit from Creative Australia’s multiyear investment, an increase of 45 organisations compared to the previous (2021-2024) cycle. Among the outcomes, there is an increase in investment in First Nations, youth and disability led groups, and those based in regional Australia. NSW arts organisations that will be supported by the funding include Cementa, a regional artist-run initiative, and Contemporary
Asian Australian Performance, a theatre company creating Asian-Australian works.
NSW SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS WINNERSThe Banksia Foundation has announced the recipients of its 2023 NSW Sustainability Awards. The awards recognise and celebrate the remarkable individuals, organisations and initiatives that have dedicated themselves to fostering sustainability and driving positive change in NSW. The NSW Sustainable Tourism Award went to Take 3 for the Sea, which encourages visitors to sensitive areas such as parks, waterways and beaches to take three pieces of rubbish with them when they leave, in addition to their own litter. Take 3 also works with visitor economy businesses on a whole-of-industry approach to litter prevention strategies. The NSW Large Business Sustainable
Leadership Award went to the Port of Newcastle for its consistent demonstration of sustainable leadership. The NSW Placemaking Award went to Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1, which connects Westmead to Carlingford via the Parramatta CBD.
HELP SHAPE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT LAWSThe NSW Government is encouraging the community to provide its local knowledge and experiences to help drive legislation that will empower small businesses and landowners to improve local spaces and boost local economies as a part of the Community Improvement District program. Following on from the passing of the NSW Government’s vibrancy reforms, the next round of legislation targeting further improvement to local streets, lanes and shared spaces will aim to improve local areas, allowing Sydney to improve its outdoor dining, seating, landscaping, public art and local business activations. The activation of streets is part of the NSW Government’s
agenda to remove red tape, bring back live music and enable more people to go out, closer to home. The NSW Government is releasing the draft Bill for public comment so stakeholders can help shape the final legislation. Contribute to the discussion by completing a survey or uploading a submission.
EXEMPTION EXTENSION FOR CRUISINGThe Federal Government is extending the Coastal Trading Act 2012 exemption for 2024. The exemption means eligible cruise operators do not need a licence for coastal trading, such as carrying cruise passengers to and from Australian ports. The exemption applies from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024. Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said: “The exemption reduces red tape and costs while supporting THRIVE 2030, our national strategy for the long-term sustainable growth of the visitor economy The one-year exemption will also provide additional time to consult on a range of potential amendments to the Coastal
Trading Act to aid in the revitalisation of the Australian maritime industry.”
BOOST FOR VISITOR ECONOMY DIGITAL HUBAccommodation Australia’s one-stop digital employment hub for visitor economy businesses is full steam ahead following a $10 million Federal Government grant and the appointment of James Lawton as project manager. Accommodation Australia CEO Michael Johnson said: “The employment platform will be a one-stop shop for people across the visitor economy in the hospitality, tourism and travel sectors. It will allow employers, existing and prospective workers, students and international visitors to connect to education, employment and other vital career information. This will help with boosting the hospitality, tourism and travel workforce and
promoting careers in the industry."
SAPPHIRE COAST BUSINESS EVENTS OPPORTUNITYDestination NSW Associate Director Regional Conferencing Mitchell Gunn recently visited the Sapphire Coast to promote the value of business events to the visitor economy. In partnership with Sapphire Coast Destination Marketing, Gunn presented the suite of support programs offered by Destination NSW to grow the business event opportunity. He provided more than 100 participants at a product showcase with valuable insights into marketing to corporate event planners and the importance of individual venues, accommodation providers and visitor experience suppliers working collaboratively to win event bids.
DESTINATION NSW HEADS TO EVENT CONFERENCE Destination NSW proudly participated this week in the Professional Conference Organisers Association Conference & Exhibition 2023 in Adelaide. Destination NSW Senior Coordinator Regional Conferencing Ashleigh Cooper showcased NSW as a premier business events destination to more than 200 professional event planners who attended the conference as delegates. The event was a fantastic way to generate new business event leads for stakeholders and a great opportunity to raise the profile of the Destination NSW Business Events Program and the Meet in NSW venue and supplier database.
UPCOMING NSW FIRST 'SELL ONLINE' WEBINARJoin Destination NSW on 6 February 2024 for a half-day 'Sell Online' virtual workshop. Find out how to increase bookings through online sales – both direct and indirect – by using online booking software, creating effective ATDW-Online listings and working with online travel agents to grow online visibility. This virtual workshop is presented as part of the NSW First Program, designed to assist visitor economy
businesses to develop, promote and sell tourism products and experiences.
QUDOS JOINS WORLD'S TOP 10 MUSIC VENUESNew Billboard data shows Qudos Bank Arena at Sydney Olympic Park holds the number seven position globally among venues with a capacity of 15,000 or more (excluding stadiums). From November 2022 to September 2023, Qudos Bank Arena recorded substantial $79.4 million in ticket sales. The venue played host to over 785,000 guests across 75 shows during the timeframe. The achievement places the arena alongside iconic venues such as New York’s Madison Square Garden and London’s O2 Arena.
SCENIC WORLD LAUNCHES ABORIGINAL TOURScenic World in the Blue Mountains will offer a Buunyal Tour Aboriginal experience from 11 January 2024. The interactive, guided 90-minute experience will operate twice weekly, led by an Aboriginal guide. It includes the Scenic Railway, Cableway and Skyway, plus 10-minute rainforest boardwalk. Guests will hear traditional Aboriginal stories and learning the importance of native animals, plants and seasons. The Buunyal tour was developed by Uncle David King, a Gundungurra Custodian and Indigenous Engagement Officer at Scenic World. King and his team of Aboriginal guides share with guests their own stories and connections to Country throughout the
experience.
OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE IMAGE CHECKLISTOutdoors NSW & ACT has released a 2023 image checklist for businesses that host adventurous activities. The checklist complies with the Australian Adventurous Activity Standard for risk management to ensure the promotion of best practice in images. All adventure tourism operators need to ensure they comply with the Australian Adventurous Activity Standard (AAAS) and Good Practice Guides to ensure the best in risk management processes. Outdoors NSW & ACT have compiled a checklist for promotional images that follows these guidelines and ensures businesses are only promoting the best in adventure practice. Click here to download the image checklist.
POP-UP SHOP FOR DUBBO AIRPORTWestern Aboriginal Artists Teresa Yasserie and Tom Carney have opened a pop-up shop at Dubbo Regional Airport. Earlier this year local and regional businesses were invited to register an expression of interest to showcase their products in the terminal in Dubbo, following the closure of the former cafe site. Yasserie said: “It is the first time Aboriginal artworks have been sold direct from the artist at an airport in Australia, so it is quite an exciting opportunity for artists across the region.” Dubbo Regional Airport welcomes approximately 200,000 passengers annually.
ACCESSIBLE FLIGHT SIMULATORS FOR TEMORATemora Aviation Museum is giving more people a chance to enjoy the feeling of flight with the launch of Australia’s first fully accessible warbird flight simulators. Funded by the NSW Government, the simulators include a Spitfire, P40 Kittyhawk and P51 Mustang, all with the option of a wheelchair lift system and demonstration mode for users who can’t take the controls. The simulators complement the museum’s self-guided audio tour where visitors can use hand-held wands or a mobile app to pace their own exploration of the hangers and historic aircraft.
DESTINATION NSW EXCELLENCE AWARDSCongratulations to the six Destination NSW staff who received End-of-Year Recognition Awards during a ceremony attended by Minister for Tourism John Graham. The award categories align with the agency’s corporate values – Ownership, Collaboration, Passion, Agility, Respect and Excellence. They celebrate the successes, dedication and positive contributions the team makes to visitor economy businesses and the community statewide. Destination NSW CEO Steve Cox presented the awards to Siew Hoon Tan, Jenny Gerada, Erin Gardner, Tegan Pryce, Adrian Tamone and Serina Udipikar.
NEW CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE FOR SYDNEY The 120-year-old Gunnery warehouse at Woolloomooloo has re-opened as a contemporary art and cultural space that will support emerging and established artists. The Gunnery features expanded gallery spaces over three floors, 10 artist studios, a large multi-purpose space, an accessible archive, offices and new facilities for learning, performance, and public programs. The premiere of Wiradyuri and Kamilaroi artist Jonathan Jones’ will be the first exhibition held at the gallery. The project was supported proudly by the NSW Government, through Create NSW, assisted by NSW Public Works.
VISITOR ECONOMY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS NSW GOVERNMENT DELIVERS HALF-YEAR REVIEW: The review is reporting a $1.7 billion budget deterioration this financial year, followed by modest surpluses over the forward estimates. Learn more NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK 2024 THEME
ANNOUNCED: The theme, Now More Than Ever, is a reminder to all of us that no matter what, the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will – and must – continue. Learn more MARRIOTT ANNOUNCES SECOND SYDNEY MOXY HOTEL: Moxy Sydney Pitt Street, scheduled to open in August 2025, is expected to feature 314 rooms, Sydney’s highest outdoor rooftop bar on level 34. Learn more NEW VOCO HOTEL FOR NSW: IHG Hotels & Resorts is set to launch its seventh voco property in Australasia in early 2025, after partnering with Sydney developer ALAND to open voco Gosford on the NSW Central Coast. Learn more SOFITEL SYDNEY WENTWORTH TO UNDERGO $60 MILLION REFURBISHMENT: The heritage-listed hotel, which began as the Wentworth Hotel in 1966, was Sydney’s first five-star international
hotel. Learn more ICC SYDNEY 2024 FIRST NATIONS EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM OPENS: Running for the third time since the venue opened, the initiative aims to foster meaningful inclusion of the First Nations community across its operations and talent acquisition process. Learn more UBER RIDES COMING KERBSIDE AT SYDNEY AIRPORT'S T3 DOMESTIC TERMINAL:
Visitors will soon have a more convenient place to catch Uber rides, with a new Uber pick-up zone set to be launched in time for the Christmas school holidays. Learn more HYDROGEN BUS TRIAL FOR ILLAWARRA: The state’s newest hydrogen bus has entered service on Wollongong’s free Gong Shuttle loop. Learn more PENRITH BEACH DATE
FIXED: A major new swimming spot at Penrith Lakes will be open for public access on 19 December in time for the start of the school holidays. Learn more CANTERBURY OLYMPIC ICE RINK UPGRADE: The iconic ice rink will get a major upgrade and restoration with the NSW Government executing a grant for $17.7 million. Learn more
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