Insights - 20 October 2023
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BIGGEST EVER NSW CRUISE SEASON KICKS OFF
The first international cruise ship of the season has sailed into Sydney Harbour from the Northern Hemisphere, kicking off a bumper summer for NSW ports.
Celebrity Solstice docked yesterday after crossing the Pacific Ocean from Hawaii. The ship brought almost 3000 passengers and more than 1200 crew into Sydney.
There will be 331 cruise calls into NSW ports during the season, up almost 16 per cent from last summer.
Ovation of the Seas, with just under 5000 passengers, will be one of the biggest ships to sail into Sydney during the current cruise season.
There will also be a record number of maiden calls, surpassing the 2022–2023 summer season, with 12 first-time ships set to make their debut in Sydney Harbour. They include vessels from Virgin Voyages, Disney Cruise Line and Scenic.
MORE CRUISES FOR PORT OF NEWCASTLE
The NSW Government is expanding cruise sailing into Newcastle. Led by Port Authority of NSW, a new agreement with the Port of Newcastle will facilitate the safe transit of cruise ships, create jobs and inject millions of dollars into the Hunter and Central Coast visitor economy and hospitality sectors over the next decade.
Port Authority of NSW CEO Captain Philip Holliday said: “Our new 10-year licence agreement will see even more cruise liners adding the Hunter to their itineraries, building on the cruise industry success already achieved in Newcastle. Expanding operations in Newcastle will support a regional tourism boom in the decade ahead.”
Learn more here.
NSW CRUISE REVIVAL LEADS THE NATION
NSW has driven the recovery of the cruise industry in Australia, generating $2.75 billion, or 48.8 per cent of the national total, for the visitor economy in the 2022-23 financial year.
The Value of Cruise Tourism, an economic impact assessment jointly commissioned by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the Australian Cruise Association (ACA) shows Australia’s cruise industry generated a record $5.63 billion during the 2022-23 financial year, a 22.1 per cent increase over 2018-19.
CLIA Managing Director in Australasia Joel Katz said: “Cruising returned to Australia much later than other parts of the world, but the ships have been resoundingly welcomed by cruise fans who have been heading back to sea in huge numbers.
“The 2022-23 year has brought higher levels of passenger spending, higher levels of cruise line spending, and record levels of economic output around Australia.”
ACA Chief Executive Officer Jill Abel said: “Cruise ships visited more Australian destinations than ever in 2022-23, reaching 62 communities around our coast.
“Together these destinations welcomed 1354 ship visits, which generates enormous income for businesses like tourism operators, hotels and restaurants, retailers, transport providers and port operators. The supply chain that supports cruising is extensive, from the travel agents who manage the passengers’ arrangements through to the farmers who provide Australian produce served on board.”
Key findings from The Value of Cruise Tourism include:
- A total of 62 Australian ports and destinations were visited in FY2022-23, welcoming a combined 1354 ship visits.
- There were 3.35 million passenger visit days.
- There was direct passenger expenditure of $1.49 billion (up 10.6 per cent over 2018-19) and direct crew expenditure of $52.0 million (up 48.1 per cent compared to 2018-19).
- The average passenger spend per day on shore was $446 per person (up 15.2 per cent compared to 2018-19). Average crew spend per day on shore $137 per person (up 7.9 per cent compared to 2018-19).
- The largest beneficiary of direct passenger expenditure was the hotel and accommodation sector, which received $457.1 million, or 30.6 per cent of passenger spending. Other beneficiaries included food and beverage ($300.1 million, 20.1 per cent), shore excursions ($194.3 million, 13 per cent), transport ($208.8 million, 14 per cent), retail shopping ($163.1 million, 10.9 per cent) and entertainment ($57.8 million, 3.9 per cent).
Learn more here.
“The data shows that every guest spends hundreds of dollars every day they’re in port, boosting local economies right around the country,” said Carnival Australia’s Chief Strategy and External Affairs Officer Teresa Lloyd.
Pictured: Port Authority of NSW CEO Captain Philip Holliday and CLIA Managing Director in Australasia Joel Katz.
DESTINATION NSW SUPPORTS CRUISE INDUSTRY
There are nine beautiful ports along the NSW coastline — Sydney, Eden, Batemans Bay, Kiama, Wollongong, Newcastle, Trial Bay, Coffs Harbour and Yamba.
While Sydney continues to be Australia’s cruise gateway, visitation to other NSW ports is rapidly growing.
Eden experienced its biggest and longest cruise season ever in 2022-23, with 34 cruise ships visiting and bringing more than 50,000 passengers to the Sapphire Coast. The 2023-24 summer cruise season will be even bigger, with 41 cruise ships visiting Eden and bringing a potential $18 million boost for the region's visitor economy.
In line with the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2030, Destination NSW works with the cruise sector to develop new opportunities for Sydney and regional NSW.
Opportunities for collaboration are leveraged via Destination NSW's 2023 Gold Executive Partnership with Cruise Lines International Association and a Platinum State Tourism Organisation membership of the Australian Cruise Association.
Destination NSW worked earlier this year with Port Authority NSW to produce a revised Cruise Sydney & NSW – Along the Blue Highway guide, which is used to showcase NSW cruise ports and experiences to cruise lines and stakeholders.
The development and distribution of cruise shore excursions, including tours and visitor attractions, is also supported to increase visitor economy outcomes from visiting cruise ships. This includes workshops and resources through the NSW First Program and familiarisation visits for cruise ground handlers.
View our NSW First 'Quick Tips for Creating Cruise Shore Experiences' guide here.
Photos and videos highlighting onshore experiences at all nine NSW ports are available on the Destination NSW Content Library. The content can be used to promote cruising in NSW to both domestic and international audiences across all marketing channels.
NSW IN THE SPOTLIGHT AT SXSW SYDNEY
Sydney has become the first-ever host city of an annual South by Southwest (SXSW) event outside of Austin, Texas.
Taking place from 15-22 October, SXSW Sydney is a city-wide music festival, futurist think tank, a showcase of the latest games, alongside film and TV world premieres and next-gen technology expo.
This one-of-a-kind event is being held at various locations in Sydney’s CBD, including Chippendale, Ultimo, Darling Quarter, Darling Harbour and Haymarket, activating a large number of venues throughout the city and supporting the entire ecosystem of Sydney’s visitor and night-time economy.
Destination NSW highlighted the "new" in NSW via activations at NSW House and the NSW Hub during the inaugural Asia Pacific edition of the iconic creative industries festival.
Presented in partnership with the Department of Enterprise, Investment and Trade, NSW House and NSW Hub showcased to SXSW Sydney attendees the unique experiences that NSW has to offer.
NSW Hub is hosting one-on-one, informative discussions about studying, working, investing and living in NSW from 18-21 October, while NSW House was open from 17-20 October.
Destination NSW CEO Steve Cox spoke at the official launch of NSW House, located at Collider in the Tech Central Precinct. The event included a Welcome to Country by Uncle Allen Madden and a performance by Jack River.
NSW House featured exhibits including a DreamMachine that read thoughts, interactive robots, quantum selfies, thought-provoking panels and samplings of the best of NSW produce.
Destination NSW hosted a panel discussion at NSW House on 19 October, focused on 'The Sydney Story: How creative vision is reshaping a global city '.
Moderated by SBS World News presenter Janice Petersen, panellists included Bangarra Dance Theatre’s Stephen Page AO, The Chippendale Collective's Beau Nielsen, Merivale’s Justin Hemmes and Hip Hop artist and Western Sydney advocate L-FRESH the Lion.
They discussed Greater Sydney’s evolution as a global hub for culture, art and innovation.
Hemmes said he had never been more excited about the hospitality industry in Sydney, with Merivale venues thriving throughout the city.
"Pre-COVID-19 our venues never operated seven days and nights, but there is a wonderful momentum now," he said.
"People have a skip in their stride and they want to try new things. The talent we have in this city and the excitement is a winning combination."
L-FRESH the Lion said that from a musician's perspective it had been a tough period for the music industry. He advocated for a grassroots approach to both infrastructure and cultural initiatives in Greater Sydney.
"Needs for each community are different and there are great outcomes when change happens organically and communities help drive the process," he said.
Neilsen agreed that making cultural infrastructure inclusive was vital to its success.
"If you invest in something that doesn’t have heart or respond to a deeper need in the community, people won’t come," she said.
Page highlighted the power of performance and storytelling in elevating a city's cultural offering and global appeal.
"The globe is wanting spirit and First Nations people have knowledge that can shape and give a sense of identity to this city," he said.
A-LEAGUES ANNOUNCES UNITE ROUND
Fans will be treated to a four-day football extravaganza in January 2024 with the A-League’s first-ever Unite Round. As the Australian Professional League’s partnership with Destination NSW enters its second year, the Unite Round will be a coming together of all 13 A-Leagues men’s and women’s clubs, as well as grassroots competitors from under-8 to under-18 age groups. From 12-14 January, matches will be hosted at Allianz Stadium, CommBank Stadium and Leichhardt Oval, while grassroots tournaments for junior boys and girls will take place at venues across Sydney. There will be a festival of football surrounding the A-Leagues fixtures with grassroots activations, tournaments, a fan festival and other events taking place across four days from January 11. Over the next two seasons, it is estimated Unite Round will attract more than 42,000 people to Sydney for the event and generate more than $10.2 million in visitor expenditure.
SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE ANNIVERSARY SONG
Sydney Opera House has a new song and film to celebrate its 50th anniversary, Play It Safe, written and composed by Tim Minchin featuring a cast of Australian artists. Starring alongside Minchin in the film are Sydney Symphony Orchestra, The Australian Ballet, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, Ziggy Ramo, Zahra Newman from Sydney Theatre Company, John Bell from Bell Shakespeare, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Elma Kris from Bangarra Dance Theatre, Kira Puru, Cathy-Di Zhang from Opera Australia, William Barton, Courtney Act, Jimmy Barnes, Sydney Dance Company Pre Professional Year Students and Associate Artists, Lucy Guerin dancers, and DirtyFeet dancers. CEO Louise Herron said: “Imagine if the creators of this magnificent building had played it safe. Their bravery forever changed our nation. We set out to create a tribute to inspire the community and remind us all of the incredible moments that have taken place here.”
FIRST ABORIGINAL LANGUAGES WEEK
Aboriginal communities across the state will be celebrating the nation’s first Aboriginal Languages Week thanks to a new NSW Government grants program. Aimed at raising awareness about Aboriginal languages and increasing support for their revitalisation, it is being held from 22-29 October with the theme “Languages Alive, Culture Thrives”. It will kick off with a festival on 21 October at the National Centre for Indigenous Excellence. Other events include a cultural tour in Fingal Head and a festival in Mogo.
GADIGAL RAILWAY STATION FOR SYDNEY
The NSW Government has announced Gadigal Railway Station as the name for the future metro station below Pitt, Park and Bathurst streets at the southern end of the Sydney CBD. The station name acknowledges the Gadigal people, the original custodians of the land around Sydney’s CBD. Transport for NSW engaged with key Aboriginal stakeholders and communities, including the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, and received overwhelming support for Gadigal as the new station name.
AUSTRALASIA'S BEST BAR REVEALED
The annual list of The World’s 50 Best Bars was announced at an awards ceremony in Singapore on 17 October 2023, with Sydney’s Maybe Sammy crowned The Best Bar in Australasia for the fifth time. Located in The Rocks, Maybe Sammy has won the title every year since its launch in 2019. It was also named the 15th best bar in the world. The judges said: "Since 2019 the bar team here have been making memorable evenings for locals as much as the international crowd who make the pilgrimage."
TURNING UP LIVE MUSIC IN NSW
The NSW Government is removing red tape to encourage live music and local entertainment zones that are as vibrant and diverse as traditional precincts like the Sydney CBD. Regulatory frameworks are also being overhauled to prevent single complainants from shutting down venues. A package of reforms introduced to NSW Parliament will empower venues that host live music to trade two hours longer under streamlined licensing laws. The package also introduced higher hurdles for complaints to progress.
SEPTEMBER SURGE FOR SYDNEY AIRPORT TRAFFIC
A total of 3.37 million passengers passed through Sydney Airport in September 2023, representing a 92.3 per cent recovery compared to pre-pandemic September 2019 and the strongest post-COVID-19 traffic recovery rate to date. Sydney Airport’s T1 international terminal saw 1.27 million passengers pass through in September, a 93.1 per cent recovery compared to September 2019. Domestic passenger traffic was 91.7 per cent recovered, with 2.10 million passengers coming through the T2 and T3 domestic terminals. Sydney Airport CEO, Geoff Culbert said: “We are now within touching distance of pre-pandemic passenger traffic. Our international recovery continues to push ahead, eclipsing the domestic recovery for the third month in a row."
CHINESE VISITOR NUMBERS RAPIDLY RISE
The China recovery continued to gain momentum in September at Sydney Airport, with the number of Chinese passport holders 78 per cent recovered, up from 67 per cent in August. South Korean visitor numbers continued to rise, increasing 48 per cent above September 2019 levels, while Vietnamese numbers were up 33 per cent on September 2019 levels. Sydney Airport CEO Geoff Culbert said: “Increased capacity from China, boosted by the return of group travel helped the airport record its strongest international passenger traffic since the border reopened. Seat supply continues to be the lead indicator of market recovery. Pleasingly, we continue to see strong demand from international markets where capacity has returned to, or is above, pre-COVID-19 levels."
REGISTER FOR 'SELL ONLINE' WORKSHOPS
Join Destination NSW for a half-day Sell Online workshop and find out how to increase bookings by using online booking software, create effective Australian Tourism Data Warehouse Online listings and work with online travel agents to grow visibility. Upcoming in-person workshops include Dubbo (register here), Sydney (register here), Broken Hill (register here) and Wagga Wagga (register here).
SUSTAINABILITY SKILLS MICRO-CREDENTIALS
Register now for round 2 of our Sustainability Skills Micro-credentials program. Destination NSW has partnered with EarthCheck to deliver the free online courses, which are designed to help visitor economy stakeholders increase their sustainability knowledge, deliver on consumer demand for sustainable experiences and provide practical solutions to implement in their business.
INBOUND STRATEGY WORKSHOPS
Destination NSW is hosting a series of practical Inbound Strategy Workshops designed to provide visitor economy businesses with the necessary steps to develop and sell export-ready products to international visitors via the inbound travel trade. The workshops are designed for businesses including accommodation, tours and activities and visitor attractions. The first workshop will be held in The Tweed on 2 November 2023. Register here. Workshops will also be held in Merimbula on 21 November and Shoalhaven on 23 November.
ATEC ONLINE LEARNING FOR HOSTS
Destination NSW has partnered with the Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) to provide free access for internationally-ready businesses to three ATEC Host online learning modules: China Host, India Host and Accessible & Inclusive Host. The training shows how to attract and service visitors by being culture-ready, product and service ready and marketing and trade ready, plus how to work effectively with key travel distributors. The training is delivered via ATEC’s E-Learning platform and is self-directed, interactive and engaging.
COFFS HARBOUR’S MARINE PARK SAVED
Dolphin Marine Conservation Park will be transformed into Coffs Coast Wildlife Sanctuary under new ownership. The park’s current Life Science Manager Tiga Cross and her family have added their personal investment to community fundraising effects to stay open, following the attraction going into voluntary administration in August. Cross said: “Keeping the park open is great news for our 50 marine animals, our 40 staff, our 100 volunteers and of course the 400 marine animals we rescue and release each year.” Beyond its contributions to wildlife preservation, the sanctuary attracts more than 50,000 visitors annually.
APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR ATE 2024
Seller applications to attend the Australian Tourism Exchange 2024 in Melbourne have opened. The event is the Australian tourism industry’s largest annual business-to-business event and will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre between Sunday 19 May and Thursday 23 May 2024. The event is expected to bring together 1500 Australian seller delegates with 700 global distribution partners from 30 countries, to conduct scheduled business appointments and participate in key networking events. Applications to take part in the ATE24 Media Program have also opened. Visit the event website before 10 November 2023 to apply.
AUSTRALIAN FASHION WEEK 2024 EVENTS
Australian Fashion Week owner IMG has announced its calendar of fashion events for 2024 in partnership with Destination NSW. Australian Fashion Week will take place from 13-17 May 2024 in Sydney and the Australian Fashion Laureate will take place in November 2024. The events were announced during SXSW Sydney at the Soho Residency at the Old Clare Hotel in Chippendale. With the support of Destination NSW, designer participation fees for Australian Fashion Week will be waived in 2024. Designer applications for the 2024 event are now open.
CHEAPER PUBLIC TRANSPORT ON FRIDAYS
Public transport passengers will enjoy savings when traveling on Fridays, with prices now matching discounted weekend fares. Friday fares have been cut by 30 per cent on all metro, train, bus and light rail services across the Opal network. The discount has been applauded by Sydney’s business community, with hopes it will encourage people to visit the CBD on Fridays for work, shopping and socialising. The travel cap will also be halved on Fridays, giving unlimited travel for no more than $8.90, and $4.45 for Child/Youth and Concession passengers.
VISITOR ECONOMY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS
LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER FOR 'ELEVATING YOUR CULINARY EXPERIENCE' WEBINAR: Destination NSW will deliver the free webinar on Wednesday 25 October 2024. Register here
NSW REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COUNCIL ESTABLISHED: The council will provide a fresh approach for regional grants decision making by providing independent advice to the Minister for Regional NSW to ensure valid projects and rural communities are at the centre of government decision making. Learn more
SUPERCHARGE YOUR SMALL BUSINESS AT A SERVICE NSW BUSINESS BOOTH: Receive free, personalised business support from 26-27 October 2024, with more than 50 Service NSW Centres hosting pop-up booths during Small Business Month. The specialised Business Booths will be available from 10am to 4pm and provide face-to-face support. Learn more
NEW RESOURCE HELPS NSW PREPARE FOR NATURAL DISASTERS: The NSW Government is helping households across NSW take the guess work out of planning for natural disasters thanks to a new preparedness campaign called Get Ready NSW. Learn more
TRADE SUBCOMMITTEE TABLES INTERIM REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION: The report has a primary focus on the future of Australia’s international education sector post-COVID-19 and explores options for the sector’s sustainable growth. Learn more
$16 MILLION FOR CROWN RESERVE IMPROVEMENTS: Applications are now open for funding to maintain and improve Crown Land reserves across the state, with $14 million in grants and $2 million in loans on offer. Learn more
STOCKTON BEACH EROSION ADDRESSED: A 75-metre dredging vessel has begun extracting 100,000 cubic metres of sand from Newcastle Harbour as part of a $6.2 million effort to remediate the coastline. 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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