Insights - 11 July 2025
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WELLNESS TOURISM SURGES ACROSS ASIA PACIFIC
New research released by International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) at its Asia Pacific 2025 event has highlighted the wellness trends gaining momentum among affluent travellers in markets including China, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.
According to the ILTM Buzz vs Reality report there have been clear shifts in luxury traveller behaviour, with wellness now a key decision-making factor.
Almost half (48 per cent) of respondents had taken a specifically planned wellness holiday, while more than half (55 per cent) said wellness facilities and services were very important or essential to their choice of hotel.
Spa resorts/therapies (58 per cent) were the most popular wellness activities overall, followed by nature immersions and physical treatments such as massage and acupuncture.
Learn more here.
DESTINATION NSW TARGETS WELLNESS
TOURISM GROWTH
Destination NSW offers resources through its NSW First program to support accommodation, visitor attractions and tour providers to create wellness experiences.
Watch our Creating Wellness Experiences on-demand webinar here and view our 'Quick Tips for Creating Wellness Experiences' guide here.
Destination NSW is also supporting the 2025 Wellness Tourism Summit, which will be held in Byron Bay from 4-5 September 2025.
The summit will bring together leaders in the wellness tourism space from around the globe, alongside operators and suppliers looking to grow their businesses or join the industry.
CELEBRATING ABORIGINAL TOURISM DURING
NAIDOC WEEK
NAIDOC Week is celebrating its 50th anniversary from 6-13 July 2025 and Destination NSW is proud to support this year’s theme: “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy.”
Destination NSW works closely with Aboriginal communities across NSW to help share stories, support truth-telling and grow Aboriginal participation in the visitor economy.
NSW has more Aboriginal-owned businesses involved in tourism and exports than any other state or territory - and Destination NSW is committed to building on that leadership by backing both established and emerging operators to develop, promote and sell their experiences.
DESTINATION NSW BOOSTS ACCESSIBLE AND
INCLUSIVE TOURISM
Destination NSW has launched a new Accessible and Inclusive Tourism page on its corporate website, with resources to assist NSW visitor economy businesses in creating spaces and experiences that feel welcoming for everyone.
It features a Quick tips for creating accessible and inclusive experiences guide, details on the Australian Government's WELCOME Framework and a four-part, on-demand webinar series presented by Get Skilled Access.
Being accessible and inclusive makes good social and business sense. It ensures everyone, regardless of age, gender or ability can enjoy the same tourism products, services and experiences.
According to Tourism Australia’s Future of Demand research, around a quarter of international visitors considering a holiday in Australia have an accessibility need, while 86 per cent indicated that accessibility influences their choice of destination.
TAFE COURSE TO BOOST TOURISM SKILLS
The visitor economy is thriving and the TAFE NSW Certificate III in Tourism has been created to help build a future-ready workforce. This nationally recognised qualification provides a mixture of theory and practical course work designed to close critical skills gaps and equip staff with job-ready expertise.
NEW TOURISM JOBS AND TRAINING HUB
A new career and training platform for Australian tourism and hospitality is hosting a launch event on 25 July 2025. The project, called eeger, has received funding via Austrade and aims to connect job seekers with fulfilling careers while supporting businesses across Australia’s visitor economy.
WEBINAR: NATURE-BASED EXPERIENCES
Destination NSW will host a Creating Nature-based Experiences webinar on 28 July 2025. Featuring guest speakers from Australia By Nature, CoastXP and Navigate Expeditions, the webinar will explore how attraction, accommodation, tour and activity operators can tap into nature-based travel.
MOGO TRAIL NETWORK OFFICIALLY OPENS
Mogo Trails has officially opened to the public. The 125-kilometre mountain bike trail network winds through bushland on the South Coast. Mogo Trails is funded by $5 million from the Australian and NSW Government’s Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund and $3 million in additional NSW Government funding.
EXTENDED TRADING FOR LIONS TOUR
The NSW Government is ensuring local hospitality venues can take full advantage of the blockbuster British & Irish Lions Tour with extended late-night trading approved for the Lions versus Wallabies Test at Accor Stadium on 2 August 2025. The match is supported proudly by Destination NSW.
UK MEDIA DELEGATION TOURS SYDNEY
Destination NSW, in collaboration with Venues NSW, hosted a tour of Sydney stadiums on 4 July 2025 for accredited UK media attending the British and Irish Lions Tour. The visit was an opportunity to highlight Sydney as a global sporting destination in the lead up to the Rugby World Cup in 2027.
NSW CHEF WINS GLOBAL ACCOLADE
Byron Bay chef Mindy Woods has won the Champions of Change Award at The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025. Ms Woods is a proud Bundjalung woman who champions Australian native foods. She starred in the 2012 season of Masterchef, started her own restaurant, Karkalla, has a cookbook called Karkalla at Home and recently launched ‘Karkalla On Country’ culinary experiences.
LONELY PLANET'S NUMBER ONE SURF BEACH
Lonely Planet has named The Pass at Byron Bay the world's best beach for surfers at every level. It said: "The bay has something for everyone, whether you're a pro or novice, including lessons for beginners. Even if you’re not in the mood to surf, The Pass lets you explore local Aboriginal history, spot some koalas or hike along the area's scenic tracks, some of which are wheelchair accessible."
ARTS TAX REFORM SUMMIT FOR NSW
Policy experts and people from across Australia’s arts and culture sector will join forces in September to propose creative ways of helping the industry flourish. The Art of Tax Reform Summit, to be held at the Sydney Opera House on 26 September 2025, will produce recommendations for the next National Cultural Policy, due in 2028.
THE TWEED TO HOST COMMUNITY CABINET
Premier Chris Minns and NSW Government Ministers will head to The Tweed in the state’s Northern Rivers on 30 July 2025 for the NSW Government’s next Community Cabinet. Community Cabinet provides insights into the diverse needs and opportunities for regions across NSW and connects communities with the state’s decision makers.
VISITOR ECONOMY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS
VIVID SYDNEY FINALIST IN 2025 AMI MARKETING EXCELLENCE AWARDS: Winners will be announced on 15 August 2025. Learn more
ENTRIES OPEN FOR NSW WINE AWARDS: Award submissions close on 29 August 2025, with the competition supported proudly by Destination NSW. Learn more
MORE EV CHARGERS FOR NSW: Electric vehicle drivers will soon have access to another 549 new kerbside chargers across 130 suburbs, thanks to a $2.8 million investment by the NSW Government. Learn more
TCS SYDNEY MARATHON ANNOUNCES WHEELCHAIR ATHLETE LINE-UP: This year’s race will feature the fastest and most decorated wheelchair racers from across the globe, supported proudly by Destination NSW. Learn more
AFC WOMEN'S ASIAN CUP AUSTRALIA 2026™ TICKET RELEASE: Multi-Match Packs for the tournament, which is supported proudly by Destination NSW, will be on pre-sale from 18 July 2025. Learn more
SYDNEY FRINGE FESTIVAL 2025 PROGRAM ANNOUNCED: The program features more than 460 events and 2900 artists across four precincts and 10 festival hubs from 1-30 September. Tickets for all events are on sale now. Learn more
GREEN LIGHT FOR RIVERSIDE THEATRES PROJECT: The City of Parramatta has approved the design and tender process for the project, which is being co-funded by the NSW Government’s Western Sydney Infrastructure Grants Program. Learn more
NEW OPERATOR FOR BROKEN HILL'S LINE OF LODE CAFE: The venue will offer a mix of Australian, Mediterranean, Cornish and Jewish food in tribute to Broken Hill’s cultural roots. Learn more
CITY OF SYDNEY EVENT GRANTS OPEN: A new grant round is available for festival and event sponsorship opportunities. Applications close 12 August 2025. Learn more
CITY OF PENRITH EVENT GRANTS OPEN: Community Funding Program grants are available for events and cultural activities. 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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