Insights - 2 May 2025
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NSW STEALS THE SHOW AT AUSTRALIAN
TOURISM EXCHANGE 2025
NSW made a powerful impression at the Australian Tourism Exchange 2025 (ATE25), where Destination NSW and more than 150 visitor economy operators from across the state connected with the world’s most influential travel buyers and media.
Held in Brisbane from 27 April to 1 May, ATE25 brought together more than 700 travel distributors and 67 media representatives from 37 countries — all looking to shape future itineraries and secure standout experiences for travellers from around the world.
Destination NSW showcased the depth and diversity of the state’s visitor offering — from Sydney’s 24-hour cultural energy to the coastlines, wine regions, Aboriginal tourism and agritourism of regional NSW. Through more than 1200 business appointments and networking events, NSW reinforced its position as Australia’s leading destination for immersive, high-quality visitor experiences.
As part of its focus on growing export-ready experiences, Destination NSW supported operators through its NSW First Program, onboarded 10 emerging businesses via the New Product Pathway, and enabled eight Aboriginal tourism businesses to attend through the Aboriginal Tourism Activation Program.
NSW also led the way in agritourism at ATE25’s Farm & Food Trails exhibition, with three booths featured in the central Farmers Market hub, connecting producers directly with global buyers.
Reflections Holidays' new glamping lodge, Wilderluxe Lake Keepit, was among 78 regional NSW operators that participated in ATE25.
Reflections Holidays and Wilderluxe Chief Marketing Officer Pete Chapman said: "We’ve been thrilled to participate in ATE once again—an incredibly effective platform to showcase our Reflections Holidays portfolio and to launch our new luxury glamping brand, Wilderluxe, which has received an exceptionally strong market response.
"Across the four days, we conducted more than 160 meetings with buyers from around the world, highlighting ATE’s unique ability to drive global exposure, build brand awareness and create meaningful commercial opportunities."
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the Australian Cruise Association (ACA) partnered to highlight the country’s ports and destinations at ATE25.
CLIA Managing Director in Australasia Joel Katz said: "Cruising is an incredibly important part of Australia’s tourism industry, generating $8.43 billion a year for the national economy and supporting more than 26,000 full-time jobs."
VIVID CHEF SERIES AND VIVID FIRE KITCHEN RETURN
The programs for Vivid Fire Kitchen and Vivid Chef Series have been announced ahead of Vivid Sydney beginning on 23 May 2025.
Vivid Fire Kitchen will return to The Goods Line in Ultimo, with NSW produce and wines taking centre stage. Cooking demonstrations, barbecue stands, food trucks, market stalls, live music and special First Nations nights will celebrate traditional fire-based cooking and its cultural significance in Australia.
Featured local chefs will include The Apollo Group’s Oscar Solomon, Firedoor’s Lennox Hastie, Viand’s Paul Farag, Bar Copains’ Morgan McGlone and many more.
Michelin-starred chefs Claude Bosi and James Lowe will headline special dinners at Eleven Barrack and Ester, respectively.
Vivid Sydney is owned, managed and produced by Destination NSW.
Learn more here.
LIGHTING OF THE SAILS: KISS OF LIGHT
The striking, kaleidoscopic artwork of pioneering Australian visual artist and queer activist David McDiarmid (1955-1995) will illuminate the Sydney Opera House sails during Vivid Sydney.
Vivid Sydney Festival Director Gill Minervini said: "With some beautiful animation techniques adapted as part of the projection, we can't wait to showcase this work to the millions set to visit Vivid Sydney this winter."
Lighting of the Sails: Kiss of Light is co-curated by the Sydney Opera House and Destination NSW.
Learn more here.
VIVID SYDNEY CELEBRATES FIRST NATIONS CULTURE
Australia’s First Nations cultures will be highlighted across Vivid Sydney’s Light, Music, Ideas and Food pillars. From First Light’s Calling Country ceremony to light installations, music performances and dining experiences, Vivid Sydney 2025 will celebrate the world’s oldest living culture.
NSW TOURISM AWARDS NOMINATIONS OPEN
Visitor economy operators have been invited to enter the 2025 NSW Tourism Awards. Delivered by NSW Tourism Association, this year’s program features a streamlined entry process, including a reduced word count for entries and a guided format to help entrants present their achievements. Nominations close on 13 June 2025.
TOP TOURISM TOWN VOTING CLOSES SOON
Public voting for the NSW Top Tourism Town and Top Tour Guide awards closes on 4 May 2025. Delivered by the NSW Tourism Association, the awards program highlights destinations in regional NSW and the tour guides that bring towns to life. Winners will be announced on 27 May at the LGNSW Destination & Visitor Economy Conference.
SXSW SYDNEY MUSIC PROGRAM ANNOUNCED
SXSW Sydney has revealed the first look at its 2025 Music Festival lineup, featuring artists including Jasmine 4.t, Cardinals, Freak Slug, Ristband and Pivots. Destination NSW is a strategic partner of SXSW Sydney, which will be held from 13-19 October.
WORKSHOPS: EXPERIENCE DEVELOPMENT
Destination NSW is hosting Experience Development workshops in Maitland (13 May), Lismore (15 May), Wollongong (21 May), Coonamble (3 June) and Orange (5 June). The free workshops support businesses to create new experiences or refine existing ones.
HOTELS KEY DRIVER OF NSW ECONOMY
New Deloitte Access Economics research has found hotels are employing more people and contributing more to the NSW economy. Accommodation Australia NSW General Manager Stacey McBride said: “Our members generated $2.7 billion in revenue last financial year and contributed $2.2 billion in value to the state economy."
AUSTRALIA-ASIA FLIGHT CAPACITY SOARS
New data from Corporate Traveller shows flight capacity between Australia and Asia is sitting at 103 per cent of pre-COVID-19 levels, outpacing the international average. India’s capacity is now at 346 per cent of pre-COVID-19 levels, with Vietnam at 263 per cent, South Korea at 153 per cent, Singapore at 107 per cent and Indonesia at 128 per cent.
WESTERN SYDNEY AIRPORT WORKSHOP
The Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue hosted the Take Flight 2026 Workshop on 30 April 2025, bringing together visitor economy experts and leaders ahead of the Western Sydney International Airport opening in late 2026. Attendees discussed how to maximise opportunities the airport will bring.
NEW BARANGAROO LANDMARK
The NSW Government has delivered the Pier Pavilion, a new public landmark on Sydney Harbour and the latest addition to Barangaroo. Standing at more than seven metres high, the pavilion features 85 steel columns. It includes a permanent seating area that offers space for visitors to enjoy the views.
ACCC LAUNCHES NEW SMALL BUSINESS KIT
The ACCC has created a new centralised resource for small businesses that brings together information, tools and guidance. It is designed to help businesses better understand their rights and responsibilities when dealing with customers, competitors and suppliers.
BESYDNEY LAUNCHES NEW CAMPAIGN
BESydney has launched The Sydney Series: Beyond the Icons campaign, which invites incentive travellers to discover a different side to the city. Primarily targeting key Asian markets, the campaign inspires delegates to uncover unique visitor experiences in Greater Sydney.
BIRD WATCHING BOOM FOR VISITOR ECONOMY
Destination NSW has released a guide to the best bird watching experiences in NSW. Birdwatching is generating billions of dollars in visitor expenditure around the globe. Tourism Research Australia data shows international visitors spent $2.6 billion on travel that involved birdwatching in the year to June 2024, while domestic overnight travellers spent $636 million over the same period, up from $414 million in 2021.
TRAVELLERS EMBRACE SUSTAINABILITY
Booking.com has released research exploring consumer attitudes to the social and ecological impact of travel. It shows 93 per cent of travellers want to make more sustainable choices. They are also consciously considering ways to minimise their impact on destinations they visit, whether seeking advice on travel at other times of the year (39 per cent) or visiting alternative destinations to avoid overcrowding (36 per cent).
CITY OF SYDNEY BUSINESS WEBINARS
Service NSW Business Connect is supporting the City of Sydney Reboot webinar series in May and June 2025. Topics during the one-hour webinars will include finance, strategy, marketing and team management.
CREATE NSW LEADERSHIP UPDATE
Sydney Fringe Festival Director Kerri Glasscock has been appointed Executive Director of Create NSW, commencing June 2025. The Board of Sydney Fringe has initiated a recruitment process for her replacement.
VISITOR ECONOMY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS
IRONMAN PORT MACQUARIE: Supported proudly by Destination NSW, the event will welcome athletes from across Australia and around the world on 4 May 2025. Learn more
WOLLONGONG GEARS UP FOR 2025 WORLD TRIATHLON CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS: The event will be held from 15-19 October 2025, supported proudly by Destination NSW. Learn more
MARRIOTT HOTEL FOR WESTERN SYDNEY: Sydney Marriott Hotel Parramatta will open in 2027. Learn more
LUXURY LODGES OF AUSTRALIA CELEBRATES 15 YEARS: The Luxury Lodges collection, which includes the Central Coast's Pretty Beach House and Lord Howe Island's Capella Lodge is part of the Signature Experiences of Australia Program. 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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