Insights - 4 November 2022
No images? Click here
DESTINATION NSW LAUNCHES MAJOR CAMPAIGN WITH NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
The first joint Destination NSW and National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) campaign has been launched, encouraging Australians to ‘find your path’ in the state’s magnificent natural landscapes.
The campaign, which features a 30-second TV spot, will reach millions of people as it rolls out across television, digital media, billboards and outdoor media in Victoria, Queensland, the ACT, Sydney and regional NSW from 4 November 2022.
Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin said the campaign aligned with the NSW Government’s ‘Feel New’ brand.
“Our ‘Feel New’ material creates an emotional connection to our state unlike any previous campaign,” Mr Franklin said.
“Visitors to our national parks can bask on sunlit coastlines, walk among World Heritage-listed rainforests, make snow angels atop Australia’s highest mountain and connect with Country on stunning desert landscapes.
“Tourism is the lifeblood of many regional and rural communities, and our national parks are perfectly positioned to support regional economic recovery and assist communities that have endured drought, bushfires, flooding and a pandemic.”
NSW is home to 890 spectacular parks and reserves, including the second oldest national park in the world, Sydney's Royal National Park.
Minister for Environment James Griffin said: "From the crystal-clear waters of Tomaree National Park, to other-worldly rock formations in the Warrumbungles, Australia’s best snow at Kosciuszko, and ancient cultural landscapes of Mungo and Mutawintji, we are so lucky to have an incredibly diverse range of landscapes right here in our backyard.
“Our national parks aren’t just brimming with natural wonders, they also support 74,000 jobs and contribute $18 billion in visitor expenditure to our economy annually, with 75 per cent of the economic benefits delivered in rural and regional NSW.”
Earlier this year, Lonely Planet reported that one of the prevailing trends in travel is the continued surge of interest in hiking.
NSW is one of the best places in the world to hike and the NSW Government is determined to make it even better, with 755 kilometres of new and upgraded walking and mountain-biking tracks, 61 new or improved picnic and visitor areas and 36 campground upgrades.
Tourism and Transport Forum CEO Margy Osmond said: “By encouraging more people to visit national parks, the NSW Government is also helping support tens of thousands of jobs, particularly in regional Australia, contributing to the state’s economy.”
“I’m thrilled this campaign encourages the conservation of our natural landscapes and greater engagement with First Nations, whilst offering visitors an experience they’ll never forget. Our research shows more people are keen to enjoy nature-based experiences since COVID-19 and increasingly want to ensure their holiday contributes to sustainability by respecting local environments and cultures."
View the ‘Find Your Path’ campaign fact sheet here.
SIZZLING SUMMER EVENTS FOR GREATER SYDNEY
Sydney is set to burst into life this summer with concerts, food experiences, Christmas markets, international sporting events and arts and cultural events thanks to the NSW Government’s 'Summer in Sydney' event series.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said: “Whether you’re keen to dine at the city’s longest ever lunch, watch a harbourside concert on the Cahill Expressway, or soak up the festive spirit at Christmas markets in the Botanic Gardens, there will be something for everyone.
“These events will be so important to our state – injecting millions into the local economy and supporting local hotels, bars, restaurants, tourism operators and small businesses, while bringing people together at this special time of year.
“These world-class 'Summer in Sydney' events will deliver a significant boost to our economy but just as importantly, they’ll also provide visitors a summer to remember.”
Minister for Tourism and the Arts Ben Franklin said 'Summer in Sydney' would make NSW the place to be this summer, catering for sports fans, foodies and arts and culture enthusiasts.
“These are exciting times in NSW as 'Summer in Sydney' builds on an incredible major events line-up including Opera on Cockatoo Island, Frida Kahlo: The Life of an Icon, the Art Gallery of NSW Opening Festival, Sydney WorldPride, blockbuster musicals, festivals, major sporting events such as SailGP, the United Cup, the HSBC Sydney 7’s and racing carnivals.
“We shouldn’t underestimate the importance of these events for our economy, which are forecast to inject at least $500 million into the Sydney economy. This will be the best summer yet for Sydney as the NSW Government delivers fantastic events that provide fun and entertainment for families right across the state.”
Pictured: Premier Dominic Perrottet, Destination NSW General Manager Events Julie Turpie and chefs Matt Moran and Luke Mangan at the official announcement of 'Summer in Sydney'.
Open For Lunch Parramatta (2 December 2022) - will be located on the Commbank Stadium concourse, bringing together food, entertainment and people with a three-course menu designed by Matt Moran.
“We’ll have entertainment, open air and long tables with three delicious courses, fresh from paddock to your plate," Mr Moran said.
“It’s exciting to be a part of this event, exciting to try something new, mix things up and most of all it's exciting to be collaborating with a number of outstanding restaurants from Western Sydney.
“I can promise guests delicious food featuring NSW produce with legendary musical performances in a location never experienced before.”
Open For Lunch Sydney (2 December 2022) - will stretch along George Street from Park Street to Bridge Street and include a diversity of culinary experiences with live music and unexpected moments of city-stopping theatrics, which will include Luke Mangan, Glass Brasserie, Mimi’s and Totti’s among other major Sydney chefs and restauranteurs.
Tickets for Open For Lunch will go on sale on 15 November 2022. Click here to subscribe for further information.
NOËL Sydney (9-24 December 2022) will feature Christmas markets, music and lights each evening at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney from 9-24 December. Christmas lights will illuminate the architecture of Macquarie Street, striking a path to the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. From 16 December 2022, a Christmas spectacular Skyshow will light up the night skies with dancing drones over Farm Cove.
Click here to subscribe for further information about NOËL Sydney.
ELEVATE Sydney (4-7 January 2022) will see a four-day entertainment and cultural celebration on the Cahill Expressway featuring a lineup of major Sydney musicians and performers with jaw-dropping views of Sydney Harbour.
Tourism & Transport Forum CEO Margy Osmond said: "These events will help encourage visitors to come and enjoy Sydney’s CBD and Western Sydney, bringing in much-needed revenue into our arts and cultural sectors and also benefiting our local tourism operators, hotels and the transport and aviation industries.
“Our research shows arts and cultural events are the key drivers encouraging people back into our CBDs across the country, especially afterhours and on weekends. It’s encouraging to see the NSW Government understands how critical our arts, events and cultural sectors have been and will continue to be in coming months to help Sydney’s economy rebuild.”
AVIATION ATTRACTION FUND LANDS THIRD
SOUTH KOREAN ROUTE
The NSW Government’s $60 million Aviation Attraction Fund has landed a new South Korean route on the state’s runway to recovery. T’Way Air will launch four weekly return flights between Incheon and Sydney on 23 December 2022.
T’Way Air currently operates eight domestic routes in South Korea and flies to many destinations across Asia. The new route is the airline’s first long-haul flight service.
Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin said: “In 2019, NSW attracted 196,000 visitors from South Korea, who spent an estimated $558 million in our economy.”
Sydney Airport CEO Geoff Culbert said: “The Republic of Korea is Sydney’s seventh largest inbound visitor market and Australia is in strong demand among Korean residents with Sydney providing the gateway to regional travel. These services will ensure we can continue to meet that demand.”
T’way Air Senior Vice President Hyun-Gyi Kim said: “It is very meaningful to add Sydney as the first long haul route of T’way Air. As Republic of Korea and Sydney have built networks in many areas such as tourism, economy and education, we would like to contribute to provide greater connectivity between the two destinations.”
Qantas and Jetstar are also launching direct flights to Seoul’s Incheon International Airport thanks to the Aviation Attraction Fund.
Jetstar commenced flying three times a week direct to South Korea from 2 November 2022.
Jetstar Airways’ Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Alan McIntyre said: “We know the absence of a low cost, direct link between South Korea and Australia has been a barrier for many travellers to visit these two incredible countries. Our direct low-fares service will make visiting South Korea and Australia more convenient, affordable and accessible than ever before and we look forward to welcoming up to 100,000 passengers each year on these services.”
Qantas will begin direct flights between Sydney and Seoul from 10 December 2022, marking the first Qantas scheduled service to Seoul since January 2008.
AVIATION ATTRACTION FUND SECURES HOUSTON ROUTE
United Airlines has resumed flights from Houston to Sydney thanks to the NSW Government’s Aviation Attraction Fund.
The first Houston-Sydney flight touched down at Sydney Airport on 30 October 2022.
The airline will initially fly three times a week from Houston to Sydney, then increase to daily flights from 17 December 2022. The Aviation Attraction Fund has also secured daily United Airlines flights from San Francisco and Los Angeles to Sydney.
To meet demand, United Airlines will increase services from San Francisco to 10 per week between 14 December 2022 and 10 February 2023.
The United States was the second largest source of international travellers to NSW in August 2022 and there is huge potential for future growth. NSW attracted 523,000 visitors from the United States in 2019, who spent an estimated $826 million in the visitor economy.
These additional flights will drive $20.1 million in additional visitor expenditure to the state and make a valuable contribution to the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy’s target of $65 billion in total visitor expenditure by 2030.
The Aviation Attraction Fund, managed by Destination NSW on behalf of the NSW Government, is open until 30 June 2023.
NEW WESTINVEST PROJECTS ANNOUNCED
Western Sydney locals and visitors will benefit from more than 20 new and revitalised parks, 22 upgraded sports grounds and recreational facilities and more than 30 kilometres of new and upgraded walking and cycling paths, thanks to the WestInvest Fund. A further 12 projects across five Local Government Areas will receive more than $69 million in funding. This takes the total number of projects funded through the $400 million WestInvest Community Project Grants – Local Government Allocation, to 68, worth more than $357 million.
HSBC SYDNEY SEVENS RETURNS
The HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series is returning to Sydney for the first time in three years. Proudly supported by Destination NSW, it will be played at Allianz Stadium from 27-29 January 2022. Australia’s Women’s and Men’s Sevens teams have each had outstanding 2021-22 seasons, with both achieving historic firsts for Rugby Australia’s Sevens program. Rugby Australia CEO Andy Marinos said: “It is unique for us to be able to hold a Sevens event with both of our teams as the reigning World Series Champions. It is massive for Aussie sports fans!”
WEBINAR: ACCESSIBLE TOURISM
City of Sydney will hold an 'Unlocking Accessibility in the Visitor Economy' webinar on 16 November 2022. The Australian accessible tourism market is valued at $10.8 billion. The webinar will introduce access and inclusion as a good business strategy and touch on the key areas to focus on when addressing the accessibility of businesses. Additionally, a free six-month program - Amplify Access & Achieve Purposeful Profit - is launching on 5 December 2022.
FANS SECURE FIFA WORLD CUP TICKETS
Following a successful pre-sale that saw fans from 100 countries snap up seats for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™, all supporters can now secure single match passes to next year’s global women’s football showpiece, which is part of the NSW Government's 10 World Cups in 10 Years initiative. Fans in Australia, New Zealand, United States, United Kingdom, China, Canada, Qatar, Germany, Republic of Ireland and France have been the top 10 purchasers of passes to date.
BUSINESS EVENTS BOOM FOR NEWCASTLE
Destination NSW has secured the 2023 Australian College of Emergency Medicine Conference for Newcastle. It joins multiple business events in the city next year, including conferences for the Australian Museums and Galleries Association, Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia, Australian Christian Churches and the joint NSW Coastal Conference and National Coast to Coast Conference. It follows 360 delegates heading to Newcastle this week for the 2022 RSL NSW Annual State Congress, plus the International Conference on Emerging Advanced Nanomaterials in October.
T20 SEMI-FINAL COMES
TO SCG
Sydney Cricket Ground will host the opening Semi-Final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup next week. Supported by Destination NSW, the match will electrify fans on 9 November 2022. Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin said: “Sydney has a long history of hosting world-class events. The energy of the city, the vibrant culture and diverse experiences provide the most exciting backdrop for the tournament. We are delivering on our promise to make NSW the major events capital of the Asia Pacific and giving locals and visitors the opportunity to witness the world’s best athletes right here in Sydney.”
DO HO SUH EXHIBITION OPENS AT MCA
The Southern Hemisphere’s first major solo exhibition by internationally acclaimed artist Do Ho Suh opens today at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) and runs until 26 February 2023. Destination NSW has partnered with the MCA on the Sydney exclusive as part of the Sydney International Art Series 2022-23. Do Ho Suh is known for his evocative and visually striking large-scale sculptures and architectural installations.
WSC AWARDS RECOGNISE WESTERN SYDNEY
A NSW Government program to transform Western Sydney into a global leader in smart cities technology has been recognised as a finalist in the prestigious World Smart City Awards. Over the past 18 months, the NSW Government has invested around $12 million from the Smart Places Acceleration Program to help drive adoption of smart technologies in Western Sydney, in partnership with local councils and industry.
TWEED BYRON HINTERLAND WALK
The local community and national park users have been invited to have their say on a draft masterplan outlining the proposed Tweed Byron Hinterland Walk. The centrepiece of the NSW Government’s $7.35 million Tweed Byron Hinterland Trails project, the 36km walk will link Mount Jerusalem National Park near Uki to Minyon Falls in Nightcap National Park and will broaden access to this part of the world in an environmentally and culturally sensitive way.
SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL WIN FOR REFLECTIONS
Reflections Holiday Parks has become the first holiday park group in Australia to be certified as a social enterprise by Social Traders. Reflections Holiday Parks reinvested $9.1 million in 2022 into 36 holiday parks and 43 Crown reserves. CEO Nick Baker said: “As well as preserving vital flora and fauna habitat, we attract two million visitors to regional NSW each year and encourage them to spend with local businesses, injecting $83.2 million into regional economies.”
2022 ICC NSW WINE AWARDS TROPHIES
The 2022 ICC Sydney NSW Wine Awards top trophy results have been announced, with the NSW Governor’s 2022 Best in Show award going to Tyrrell’s 2013 Vat 1 Semillon. Chair of Judges Nick Spencer said: “It is very difficult to pick a top winner from a range of amazing wines, but the wine that was selected in the end is arguably the most famous and highly regarded white wine produced in this country. Coupled with perhaps the best vintage in a decade, it is no surprise to see this wine being awarded as the best wine at the 2022 NSW Wine Awards.”
NSW WINE APPOINTS
EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Matthew Jessop has joined NSW Wine as its Executive Officer. Most recently, Mr Jessop was Associate Director at Tech Central. NSW Wine President Mark Bourne said: “We are confident that Matthew’s passion for the wine industry and his demonstrated past achievements, commitment and vision will continue to take the NSW wine industry forward. We thank Angus Barnes for his dedication, commitment and service to the association and the NSW wine industry over many years and wish him success in his future endeavours.”
BLUE PLAQUES RECOGNISE ABORIGINAL HERITAGE
Four more Blue Plaques have been installed around NSW, including one recognising Aboriginal rights campaigner Dr Charles Perkins AO. The Dr Charles Perkins AO Blue Plaque was installed at the entrance of the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney. The Blue Plaques program commemorates historical figures who have left lasting legacies in NSW. There have been 21 Blue Plaque recipients to date and the NSW public will be invited to nominate more noteworthy people, stories and events when a second round of nominations opens soon.
FLOOD RECOVERY UPDATES
Flood Recovery Coordinators have been appointed by the NSW Government to manage clean up and repair efforts following significant flooding across the state. Mel Gore will oversee efforts for the North Coast and North West, Ken Harrison will oversee efforts for the Central West and Donna Argus will oversee efforts for the Riverina, Murray and Murrumbidgee. Joint-funded disaster assistance is now available in 66 Local Government Areas following severe flooding across NSW, which began on 14 September 2022 and continues to impact significant parts of the state.
DESTINATION AUSTRALIA REGISTRATIONS OPEN
Registration to attend Tourism Australia’s Destination Australia Conference 2023 are now open. The event will be held on 16 March at the ICC Sydney and will be followed by a networking function aboard on-water event venue The Jackson. For anyone unable attend in person the option to attend online is available. The event, themed ‘Come and Say G’day’, will focus on the opportunities for the future of the Australian visitor economy.
ATEC MEETING PLACE 2022 TICKETS
ATEC’s flagship inbound trade event Meeting Place (MP22) will be held in Cairns from 21–24 November 2022. MP22 will provide opportunities for trade to reconnect and celebrate face-to-face. Standalone ticket types are now available for ATEC members and non-members to attend various event elements such as the welcome function, conferencing sessions and gala finale. If you have any questions, contact events@atec.net.au
VISITOR ECONOMY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS
$1 MILLON INVESTMENT HITS RIGHT NOTES FOR REGIONAL MUSIC: Musicians, venues, presenters, promoters, and managers are poised to deliver a range of live music experiences across regional NSW thanks to the NSW Government’s $1 million investment in MusicNSW’s Regional Music Officer Program. Learn more
SCHOOL LEAVERS SCORE NEW SKILLS OVER SUMMER: School leavers will be given the opportunity to access fee-free training to help them rapidly gain new skills for summer jobs in industries experiencing labour shortages such as hospitality. Learn more
JUNE PUBLIC HOLIDAY RENAMED KING’S BIRTHDAY PUBLIC HOLIDAY: In recognition of the reign of King Charles III, the NSW Government has amended the Public Holidays Act 2010 to rename the Queen’s Birthday public holiday the King’s Birthday public holiday. In 2023, the King’s Birthday public holiday will fall on 12 June.
HAWAIIAN HOTEL GROUP OUTRIGGER TO RETURN TO AUSTRALIAN MARKET: Outrigger CEO Jeff Wagoner has revealed the company has signed letters of intent to buy Australian properties. 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
DID YOU ENJOY THIS NEWSLETTER? Forward it to colleagues and friends so they can subscribe too. Was this issue forwarded to you? Click here to sign up
