Insights - 23 September 2022
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LONG WEEKEND TURBOCHARGES VISITOR ECONOMY
The announcement of a one-off public holiday as a national day of mourning in honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has led to a surge in travel bookings.
Soon after the announcement, Wotif.com search volume spiked by 25 per cent, while holiday rental platform Stayz saw search volume rise 51 per cent.
Flight Centre spokesperson Haydn Long said accommodation in popular regions was looking "very tight", with online booking levels rising 70 per cent above the previous weekends.
Qantas and Jetstar alone will fly more than 500,000 passengers from 22-25 September 2022, as school holidays commence in several states including NSW.
SYDNEY AIRPORT GEARS UP FOR SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
Sydney Airport is forecasting nearly 2.4 million passengers will pass through its terminals between 19 September and 9 October, surpassing the 2.1 million passengers that were welcomed during the equivalent 21-day school holiday period from 27 June to 17 July 2022.
The September school holiday forecast anticipates a total of 1.65 million domestic passengers and 720,000 international passengers, compared to 1.5 million domestic passengers and 560,000 domestic passengers during the July school holidays.
Sydney Airport CEO Geoff Culbert said the airport was better placed than at any time during the recovery to handle the demand, but passengers should continue to arrive two hours prior departure for domestic flights, and three hours ahead for international.
Total passenger traffic in August 2022 was 2,662,000 passengers, down 27.5 per cent on the corresponding period in 2019.
Domestic passenger traffic totalled 1,859,000 in August 2022, down 19.1 per cent on the corresponding period in 2019. 802,000 international passengers passed through Sydney Airport in August 2022, down 41.6 per cent on the corresponding period in 2019.
Ahead of the September school holidays and with an eye to the peak Christmas period, Sydney Airport is hosting a second jobs fair to help meet the ongoing need for staff across airport organisations.
PERFORMANCE LIFTS FOR QANTAS
Qantas said its operational performance had continued to improve in the first two weeks of September, with flight delays, cancellations and mishandled bag rates all falling.
On time performance had improved from 52 per cent of flights on time in July, to 67 per cent in August and 71 per cent from 1-14 September 2022.
Flight cancellations also reduced to just two per cent during the month so far, down from 7.5 per cent in June and four per cent in August. The current figure is below pre-COVID-19 levels.
Mishandled bags were at six per 1000 passengers overall and at five per 1000 for domestic, which is at pre-COVID-19 levels. Qantas said there had been an increase in the average number of bags being checked in per passenger compared to pre-COVID-19, reflecting the strong rebound in leisure travel.
According to Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics data for domestic flights in August, 82 per cent of Regional Express flights departed on time, compared with 70 per cent of Virgin Australia flights, 62 per cent of Qantas flights and 60 per cent of Jetstar flights. Rex cancelled 0.8 per cent of flights in August, to Virgin’s 2.5 per cent, Qantas’ 3.9 per cent and Jetstar’s 5.4 per cent.
VIVID SYDNEY WINS 14 MEDALS AT
2022 IFEA PINNACLE AWARDS
Vivid Sydney, Australia’s largest event and the Southern Hemisphere’s largest festival of Light, Music and Ideas, has won 14 medals at the 2022 International Festival & Events Association (IFEA) Pinnacle Awards.
Regarded as the Academy Awards of the festivals and events industry, the Pinnacle Awards recognise excellence in festival and event promotions and operations globally.
Vivid Sydney 2022, which is owned, managed and produced by Destination NSW, won a Silver Grand Pinnacle Award. The Grand Pinnacle is the highest award given by the IFEA. It recognises festivals that have excelled at all elements necessary to ensure a successful event.
Additional accolades awarded to Vivid Sydney 2022 included:
- Best Event Website: Gold
- Best Instagram Site: Gold
- Best Digital/Social Ad Series: Gold
- Best Video Promotion: Gold
- Best Mobile Application: Gold
- Best Outdoor Billboard: Gold
- Best Sponsor Activation (Paramount+): Gold
- Best Social Media Campaign: Gold
- Best Promotional Photograph: Silver
- Best Street Banner: Silver
- Best On-Site Decor: Silver
- Best Overall Sponsorship Program: Silver
- Best Media Relations Campaign: Silver
Destination NSW Regional Manager USA Irene Morgan was presented with the awards by President & CEO International Festivals & Events Association Steven Wood Schmader.
Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin congratulated Destination NSW on its exceptional work involved in delivering Vivid Sydney to the world.
“Destination NSW was determined to raise the bar this year, following the cancellation of Vivid Sydney in 2020 and 2021,” Mr Franklin said.
“Vivid Sydney 2022 included more than 200 events that celebrated Sydney’s diversity, beauty, resilience, First Nations culture and a vibrant creative community.
“The festival was hugely successful, attracting a record audience of 2.58 million attendees over the 23 days and nights, and these accolades from the International Festivals & Events Association recognise the exceptional quality, huge effort and cutting-edge skill involved in delivering one of the best festivals in the world.”
Festival Director Gill Minervini said Vivid Sydney 2022 was a career highlight, with the Pinnacle Awards recognising the team’s collective achievements over the months leading up to the festival.
“Vivid Sydney 2022 gave attendees the opportunity to fall in love with our magical Harbour City all over again,” Ms Minervini said.
“The festival celebrated the ‘soul of our city’ by fusing art and ingenuity in collaboration with some of the most boundary-pushing artists, thinkers and musicians of our time.”
VIVID SYDNEY ASSETS AVAILABLE AT
DESTINATION NSW CONTENT LIBRARY
The Destination NSW Content and Creative Services team has created extensive video, photography and editorial content from Vivid Sydney 2022, which can be ordered and downloaded through the Content Library.
Get a taste of the assets available by viewing 22 images curated by the photographic team that capture the joy and wonder of the Light Walk at this year’s festival. Click here
The Destination NSW Content Library is an easy-to-use resource of inspiring NSW content for media and industry access. Our image, video and copy collections are available to download for promotion of destinations, experiences and events across NSW. There are more than 34,000 assets available to bring your content to life. To access the Content Library, register for a username and password.
ATTENDANCE & VISITOR SPEND DOUBLES AT ICC SYDNEY
International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) has reported that its event visitor attendance and visitor spend have doubled since the previous financial year.
Its 2021/22 Annual Performance Review has revealed the venue welcomed more than 470,000 visitors that delivered $190 million in visitor expenditure across 300 events — up from 200,000 visitors and an economic contribution of $80 million in FY 2020/2021.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said: “Thousands of visitors attending events at ICC Sydney each week are filling up hotels, restaurants and retail outlets, as well as tourism opportunities. It’s great to see the CBD come alive again.”
ICC Sydney CEO and ASM Global (APAC) Group Director of Convention Centres, Geoff Donaghy said: “Pent up demand meant domestic business levels returned at pace and in volume. Add to this the return of international events and we are now forecasting a return to FY19 figures in FY25 – a year earlier than previously projected."
Between March and June, ICC Sydney delivered events including:
- Tourism Australia’s Australian Tourism Exchange, which was delivered in partnership with Destination NSW and was the highest selling event in its series.
- A record-breaking INDO PACIFIC 2022 International Maritime Exposition, which attracted over 25,000 visitor attendances to interact with 736 participating exhibitor companies from 23 countries, across an exhibition space 11 per cent larger than the 2019 record.
- The Smart Energy Conference and Exhibition, which welcomed 3800 in person attendees and over 90 exhibitors.
- The International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering held in May, which welcomed 1360 in person attendees, including international delegates from 76 countries.
- Live entertainment events drew great numbers of visitors to the precinct including ICC Sydney’s longest running event, Guy Sebastian’s T.R.U.T.H. Tour, which attracted over 25,000 patrons to Aware Super Theatre across five shows.
ART GALLERY OF NSW EXPANSION
Major construction work on the $344 million expansion of the Art Gallery of NSW has been completed ahead of its reopening on 3 December 2022. Premier Dominic Perrottet said: “Sydney is Australia’s only global city and the expansion of the Art Gallery of NSW bolsters our reputation as one of the world’s cultural capitals. The new building is an architectural masterpiece, befitting of some of the world’s finest artworks. Our investment into this project will help inject $1 billion into the NSW economy."
INAUGURAL COMMISSION FOR TANK GALLERY
One of the world’s most accomplished artists, Adrián Villa Rojas, has been announced as the inaugural commission for The Tank exhibition space in the new extension to the Art Gallery of NSW. Destination NSW and the Art Gallery of NSW have secured the revered Argentine-Peruvian sculptor’s 'The End of Imagination' as the opening exhibition for the underground gallery, which has been repurposed from a former WWII fuel tank. Entry will be free for visitors when the gallery opens on 3 December 2022
BEST NSW RESTAURANTS
& CATERING
Restaurant & Catering Australia (R&CA) has announced the winners of the 2022 NSW Restaurant & Catering HOSTPLUS Awards for Excellence. Winners included Quay Restaurant, which won Sydney’s Restaurant of the Year; Bistro Molines in Mount View, which took out best Regional NSW Restaurant; and Charlie & Franks in North Sydney, which won Best Cafe. Destination NSW sponsored the Best Tourism Restaurant award, which was won by SkyFeast at Sydney Tower.
BATHURST CO-OP MARKETING SUCCESS
Destination NSW is assisting 26 program partners across 28 local government areas and four border regions with bespoke marketing campaigns via the Feel New Co-Operative Marketing Program. The program aims to drive bookings, encourage visitor spend and increase length of stay. The collaboration with Bathurst Regional Council, for example, includes four videos that have received more than one million views on YouTube since they were shared in late July.
SYDNEY RUNNING FESTIVAL SUCCESS
More than 36,000 runners and walkers took over the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge last Sunday, marking the 20th anniversary of Blackmores Sydney Running Festival. Kenya’s Moses Kibet smashed the record for fastest marathon time ever run in Australia. The event marked the first year of a three-year candidacy for the Blackmores Sydney Marathon to join the prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors, supported by Destination NSW.
FIBA BASKETBALL WORLD CUP KICKS OFF
The FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022 has kicked off, with Australia taking on France last night. Twelve top international teams have gathered in Sydney for the event, which is being supported by Destination NSW as part of the NSW Government’s 10 World Cups in 10 Years initiative. Basketball is on the rise in Australia, with 1.3 million playing the sport, and exposure to the best basketballers in the world will inspire current and future generations of players.
WATERFRONT FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL
The best of the Illawarra’s stunning coastline will meet the region’s most innovative food and wine producers during the inaugural The Waterfront Food and Wine Festival. The family-friendly event will run from 28-29 October 2022, with events, stalls and entertainment. Supported by Destination NSW, the festival will feature more than 30 producers from the South Coast, Illawarra and Southern Highlands. It will be headlined by TV presenter, chef, author and MasterChef winner Adam Liaw.
FIRST NSW BLUE
PLAQUE INSTALLED
The first Blue Plaque has been installed as part of the NSW Government's Blue Plaques program, which recognises extraordinary people and events from our state’s history. The Caroline Chisholm Blue Plaque is located in East Maitland. Minister for Heritage James Griffin said: “Caroline Chisholm embodied the Australian spirit and was an advocate for women and immigrant families, so it's fitting that her Blue Plaque is the first to be unveiled." A new website that shares the stories of each recipient has also been launched.
DEADLINE EXTENDED FOR EV CHARGER FUNDING
The Office of Energy and Climate Change has extended the deadline to 11 November 2022 for eligible locations in regional NSW to apply for electric vehicle (EV) charger funding. The number of EV drivers has tripled in the past 12 months. Click here to review the grant guidelines before applying. Click here to send an email if you require further information about the funding program.
ABS RELEASES TOURISM JOBS DATA
New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics has shown there were 669,200 tourism jobs in Australia in the June quarter of 2022. This was 21,500 (3.3 per cent) more jobs than the March quarter of 2022 and 60,200 (9.9 per cent) more jobs than the June quarter 2021. Tourism jobs peaked at 749,400 in December 2019 and are now at their highest level since the pandemic started.
NEW YEAR'S EVE ON CAHILL EXPRESSWAY
The ballot has opened to watch the Sydney Harbour fireworks from the Cahill Expressway. The NSW Government initiative gives people an opportunity to attend either the 9pm or midnight session, with both timeslots offering food, live music and fun activities.
BONDI PAVILION REOPENING
The historic Bondi Pavilion has reopened its doors to the public after two years, following a $48 million renovation. Opening celebrations will be held from 23-25 September 2022, with First Nations workshops, architecture and history tours, exhibitions and more.
VISITOR ECONOMY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS
FUNDING FOR MAJOR CULTURAL FESTIVALS: Grant funding of up to $500,000 a year for two years is now available for local councils across the state’s Six Cities - the Lower Hunter and Greater Newcastle City, Central Coast City, Illawarra-Shoalhaven City, Western Parkland City, Central River City and Eastern Harbour City - to host major cultural events in partnership with the NSW Government. Learn more
POWERHOUSE MUSEUM & UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY ENTER PARTNERSHIP: The 10-year agreement involves the two institutions partnering on major international and local festivals and events, including Vivid Sydney, Australian Fashion Week, and South by Southwest. Learn more
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR EMERGING LEADERS: The Association of Australian Convention Bureaux (AACB) and Exhibition & Event Association of Australasia have announced their 2022 Emerging Leaders Scholarship Program for the business events industry. Applications close 10 October 2022. Learn more
WIN-WIN FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: Projects to boost the employability of international students, promote wellbeing and support the recovery of the NSW international education sector are set to share in $400,000 as part of the NSW Government’s Partner Projects grant program. Learn more
FLAGS FLY AS SURF LIFE SAVING PATROLS BEGIN: More than 20,000 surf life saving volunteers are ready to welcome NSW beachgoers. Patrolled beach locations, patrol times and live weather updates are available on the BeachSafe app or website.
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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