Insights - 22 August 2025
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THE RISE OF THE GREY GAP YEAR
Australian Seniors has released its Grey Gap Year Report 2025, which shows a shift in perception of retirement, with travel now regarded as a central pillar of a fulfilling life.
The report shows Australians aged 50 and over are more engaged in travel than ever before. Nearly 39 per cent went on a 'big' holiday in the past year—a significant jump from less than 18 per cent in 2022.
Among those who booked a big holiday, 36 per cent travelled within Australia, with 26 per cent going interstate and 10 per cent staying within their state.
While traditional holidays such as cruises (up seven per cent since 2022 to 29 per cent) and beach escapes (29 per cent) remain popular, the research shows growing interest in 'slow travel' and 'JOMO' (joy of missing out) trips that feature experiences they enjoy, rather than worrying about what others are doing.
More than one in two seniors (54 per cent) expect to spend up to 49 per cent of their financial assets on travel.
NATIONAL ACCOLADE FOR DESTINATION NSW
Destination NSW has been announced as an Achievement National Nominee at the 2025 Australian Event Awards for its work on Vivid Sydney 2025.
Vivid Sydney 2025, which is owned, managed and produced by Destination NSW, is also a finalist in the Best Event category.
Events supported by Destination NSW that have been nominated include Deni Ute Muster 2024, Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour 2025 – Guys & Dolls (Opera Australia), Maitland Riverlights 2024 and SXSW Sydney Conference 2024.
Winners will be revealed on 15 October during the Australian Event Awards and Symposium in Coffs Harbour.
Congratulations to all the nominees.
RECORD ATTENDANCE FOR MUNDI MUNDI BASH
A record number of attendees—more than 15,000—have flocked to the Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash from 21-23 August 2025.
Tickets sold out last week for the all-ages music festival, which is supported proudly by Destination NSW.
The event line-up includes Missy Higgins, Hoodoo Gurus, The Cat Empire, Birds of Tokyo, The Angels, Kasey Chambers, Kate Ceberano and Leo Sayer.
In May, the NSW Government completed an upgrade to fully seal Wilangee Road near Broken Hill. The upgrade has delivered a safer, smoother road for attendees and local communities that benefit from the economic boost generated by the event.
LUXURY TRAVEL SECTOR STILL ROBUST
Luxury travel advisor Virtuoso has released a trend report that reveals growth across all travel categories. Future travel bookings exceeding $50,000 are up 35 per cent year on year. The popularity of off-season bookings continues to rise, while 64 per cent of travellers are interested in sustainable travel.
NEW SYDNEY FISH MARKET ROOF LIGHTS UP
The new roof at Sydney Fish Market will feature more than 400 light fixtures that can be individually lit to achieve multi-coloured displays. The lighting display will be able to be activated to mark special events and could also be included as part of Vivid Sydney or the Men's Rugby World Cup 2027.
EXPLORE NSW & ACT EVENT SUCCESS
ATEC, in partnership with Destination NSW delivered Explore NSW & ACT in the Southern Highlands from 18-19 August 2025. Destination NSW supported eight NSW visitor economy businesses to attend the event for the first time via its New Product Pathway, providing an opportunity to develop and strengthen their relationships with key distributors.
BRITISH LIONS TOUR BOOSTS HOTELS
New CoStar data shows the British and Irish Lions Tour boosted hotel occupancy in Sydney on 2 August to 92.9 per cent. The Lions versus Wallabies Test at Accor Stadium was supported proudly by Destination NSW. There were also high single to double-digit RevPAR (revenue per available room) gains during July for hotels in Greater Sydney.
ABORIGINAL BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE
The next Aboriginal Business Roundtable will be held in Port Stephens on 9 October 2025. Delivered by Aboriginal Affairs NSW and Destination NSW, the free event is designed for Aboriginal business owners and operators and will focus on boosting Aboriginal cultural tourism. The roundtable was initially scheduled for 3 July 2025 but was postponed due to severe weather.
BROKENWOOD NAMED WINERY OF THE YEAR
The Hunter Valley's Brokenwood Wines has been crowned Winery of the Year at the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion Awards. Three NSW wines also won varietal awards: First Creek Wines Museum Release Oakey Creek Vineyard Semillon 2017, Tyrrell’s Wines Vat 8 Winemaker’s Selection Shiraz Cabernet 2023 and Calabria Family Wines 3 Bridges Botrytis Semillon 2024.
UPTOWN FUNDING FOR CENTRAL COAST
The NSW Government’s night-time district grant support initiative, the Uptown program, has expanded to the Central Coast, with $355,000 in funding announced for two districts in the region. The Gosford Strip Precinct and The Esplanade in Terrigal are the region’s first successful precincts to participate in the program.
MALAYSIA AIRLINES EXPANDS SYDNEY ROUTE
Malaysia Airlines’ new Airbus A330neo has touched down at Sydney Airport ahead of the airline expanding its Kuala Lumpur–Sydney service. The aircraft will operate on the airline’s twice-daily service before a third daily flight launches on 30 August 2025, increasing annual capacity to more than 630,000 seats—the highest for any Australian airport.
VISITOR ECONOMY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS
$5 MILLION UPGRADE TO MERIMBULA AIRPORT: The NSW Government is investing in a runway extension that will allow larger aircraft to operate at the airport, increasing tourism opportunities. Learn more
JT TRAVELS HEADS TO WAGGA WAGGA AND ECHUCA MOAMA: Destination NSW's integration with Weekend Sunrise will showcase the regions on 23-24 August 2025. Learn more
DESIGN FOR PARRAMATTA'S WESTERN RIVER PRECINCT: A draft concept design is on display, which includes a new walking and cycling bridge, plus a southern foreshore boardwalk that links Parramatta Park to the CBD. Learn more
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING FOR WESTERN SYDNEY: The NSW Government is investing more than $63 million in critical infrastructure across the region. Learn more
AUSTRALIA OUTSHINES GLOBAL COMPETITORS ON GUEST SATISFACTION: New data shows businesses that are a part of the Quality Tourism Framework outperform both global and regional benchmarks. Learn more
TOURISM AUSTRALIA BOARD CHAIR REAPPOINTED: Penny Fowler has been reappointed as Chair of the Tourism Australia Board for a two-year term. Learn more
GREEN TICK FOR PORT AUTHORITY: Port Authority of NSW has become the first Australian port to be certified by maritime environmental program Green Marine. Learn more
SYDNEY METRO CELEBRATES FIRST YEAR: More than 66.8 million journeys have been taken on Sydney Metro during the past 12 months. Learn more
CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON CANTERBURY OLYMPIC ICE RINK: The NSW Government has announced a $17.9 million upgrade to the facility. 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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