Insights - 19 August 2022
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AVIATION ATTRACTION FUND LANDS
EXTRA TOKYO FLIGHTS FOR NSW
The NSW Government’s $60 million Aviation Attraction Fund has secured another airline partner, with Japan Airlines committing to two new flights per week from Tokyo International Airport to Sydney from October 2022.
Prior to COVID-19, Japan ranked fifth in NSW for visitors and seventh for nights and expenditure. In the year ending December 2019, NSW welcomed 202,000 Japanese visitors, who stayed 3.4 million nights and spent an estimated $385 million.
Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin said: “NSW is ready to welcome more Japanese visitors to our shores and more airline seats will play a vital role in achieving this outcome. Through this new daily Japan Airlines offering from Sydney to Haneda Airport, we can confidently rebuild and exceed pre-pandemic levels of visitation from Japan."
Deputy Senior Vice President – Route Marketing, International Relations and Alliances at Japan Airlines Ross Leggett said: “This year marks the 53rd year of Japan Airlines' uninterrupted services between Tokyo and Sydney and, with this partnership, we intend to continue in our mission to deliver unparalleled levels of service, comfort and security to all our guests."
The Aviation Attraction Fund is managed by Destination NSW and is open until 30 June 2023. Click here to learn more.
NEW AVIATION TRAINING FACILITY FOR SYDNEY
The Qantas Group has announced it will train pilots at a new purpose-built centre in Sydney across its current and future fleet, including the aircraft that will operate non-stop flights between NSW and London and New York.
The assessment of the proposed flight training centre will be expedited after being declared State Significant. If approved, the facility would provide training for up to 4500 Qantas and Jetstar pilots and cabin crew each year.
Minister for Planning and Minister for Homes Anthony Roberts said: “The NSW Government is a proud supporter of Australia’s aviation industry, and efforts like this will help strengthen capability and ensures NSW and Sydney remain the country’s global travel hub.”
“Our $60 million Aviation Attraction Fund is securing routes, creating jobs and promoting visitor expenditure to accelerate our COVID-19 Road to Recovery, and cement NSW as the premier visitor economy of the Asia Pacific."
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said: "Qantas has trained its pilots and crew in Sydney for more than half a century and we look forward to bringing this critical function back to NSW.
"We’d like to thank the NSW Government for its support for this world-class facility, which will generate broader economic benefits for the state."
DESTINATION NSW LAUNCHES CONTENT SERIES
WITH CURTIS & LINDSAY STONE
Sydney’s spectacular natural beauty, world-class restaurants, vibrant arts and culture and friendly locals will be celebrated by chef Curtis Stone and his wife Lindsay Price-Stone in a candid new content series created for YouTube.
Produced in partnership with Destination NSW, the eight-part content series, called Carry On with Curtis and Lindsay – Sydney, will launch on the Sydney YouTube channel on 25 September 2022.
It will follow the couple as they explore Sydney’s world-class restaurants and bars, immerse themselves in its arts and culture scene, take in the city’s famous icons from the sea and above and explore Sydney’s incredible natural surrounds just beyond the CBD.
NSW Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin joined with Destination NSW CEO Steve Cox, Curtis Stone and Lindsay Price-Stone for a preview of the series this week.
"Curtis and Lindsay are two well-known personalities who ably showcase Sydney’s incredible experiences and places for visitors to discover on their travels," Mr Franklin said.
"The NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2030 has a bold vision to make NSW the premier visitor economy of the Asia Pacific. This series will help drive local and international visitation to help achieve its target of $65 billion in visitor expenditure by 2030."
Curtis Stone said: “Sydney is a city that wows you at every turn – where else in the world can you be in CBD in the morning, surfing at the famous Bondi beach at lunch and enjoying a world-class restaurant by night?”
“Visiting my favourite places in Sydney, discovering new ones and showing Lindsay around this incredible city has been so special. From the flavours of the omakase meal we enjoyed at Kobo to the ancient stories shared with us at Bangarra, our trip was a reminder that Sydney is always evolving - we can’t wait to come back.”
Watch a video preview of the series here.
HAVE YOUR SAY ON WESTERN SYDNEY
DESTINATION MANAGEMENT PLANS
Destination NSW is seeking input on its Destination Management Plans (DMP) for Western Parkland City and Central River City, following workshops held in early August.
Dynamic illustrations were created during the visioning sessions to highlight the opportunities for growth and capture the vibrant geography and plethora of attractions on offer. Click on the illustrations above and below to view enlarged PDFs.
Through the DMP process, Destination NSW is considering ways that it can best support and facilitate the growth of Western Sydney’s visitor economy.
Councils, businesses, Aboriginal stakeholders, universities, industry associations, potential investors and other stakeholders gave their feedback on the DMPs during the workshops.
Participants were encouraged to write their ideas on brainstorming boards, take part in a moderated panel discussion and rotate through five stations exploring the strategic pillars of the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2030 as they relate to Western Sydney.
If you were unable to attend the workshops and would like to add feedback or if you attended and wish to make a further contribution, a survey can be completed here.
Please share this newsletter containing the survey link among your networks. The survey will be open until 5pm on 29 August 2022.
AEROTROPOLIS GETS READY FOR TAKEOFF
The first step in Western Sydney’s Aerotropolis development kicked off this week with work beginning on a critical piece of energy infrastructure for the area. Minister for Planning and Minister for Homes Anthony Roberts said the start of work on the new $38.8 million Bradfield Zone substation was an important step in building the backbone of electricity supply for the Bradfield Estate, which will provide capacity to power the equivalent of 20,000 homes.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST COMES TO SYDNEY
Sydney will host a reimagined production of Beauty and The Beast at the Capitol Theatre in June 2023. Destination NSW, has partnered with Disney Theatrical Productions to secure the Australian premiere season, which will feature new sets, costume designs, state-of-the-art technology and an Australian cast. Premier Dominic Perrottet said: "Sydney is the nation’s home of world-class theatre and we expect this production will draw more than 400,000 musical lovers." Learn more
STELLAR LINE-UP FOR NIGHT AT THE BARRACKS
It's only a few weeks until Jessica Mauboy kicks off the Night At The Barracks concert series at picturesque North Head, Manly. Night at the Barracks, proudly supported by Destination NSW, will boost the local visitor economy, while also providing employment for hundreds of performers and event staff, which is critical for the recovery of the creative industries. The event will also host an array of local food and beverage providers to give attendees a taste of the Northern Beaches.
RAIL TRAILS BILL PASSES PARLIAMENT
The NSW Government’s historic Rail Trails Bill has passed through NSW Parliament, empowering regional communities to convert disused rail corridors into walking and riding tracks. The Transport Administration Amendment (Rail Trails) Bill 2022 provides a streamlined process that may enable regional rail trails where and when the community wants them. Minister for Cities and Active Transport Rob Stokes said the Bill fixed outdated and onerous legislation that required a change to the Act for each rail trail.
DUEL IN THE POOL KICKS OFF IN BONDI
Bondi Beach hosted the ultimate swimming showdown this morning, with Australia's Commonwealth Games talent triumphing over the United States in an open ocean relay. The event kicked off the three-day Duel in the Pool event, marking the first time since 2007 that the US team has competed in Australia. Duel in the Pool will continue at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre on 20-21 August 2022, proudly supported by Destination NSW.
BAYS WEST STAGE 1 REZONING
Four hectares of new public open space, affordable housing, thousands of jobs and the revitalisation of White Bay Power Station are highlights of rezoning plans aimed at transforming part of Sydney’s inner harbour. Minister for Planning and Minister for Homes Anthony Roberts said the Stage 1 rezoning proposal to change planning rules around the White Bay Power Station and Bays Metro Station were on public exhibition.
NSW CASINO
REGULATION REFORMS
Casino regulation in NSW has undergone a major overhaul after new laws passed the NSW Parliament. Minister for Hospitality and Racing Kevin Anderson said the Casino Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 would ensure the State’s two casinos comply with stringent controls, under the supervision of an independent regulator. The centrepiece of the Bill is the creation of the NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC), which will have unprecedented powers to monitor casino activities and take strong disciplinary action against operators and individuals who engage in misconduct.
WAGGA WAGGA SPRING JAM IS BACK
Wagga Wagga’s free family spring day out is making a return in 2022 after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19. Spring Jam will be held on 24 September in Wagga Wagga Botanic Gardens. Designed for kids aged two to 12, Spring Jam will include outdoor adventure activities, craft workshops, a dance party, live music and other entertainment. The event is supported through funding from the Destination NSW Regional Flagship Events Program. Expressions of interest for food vendors to serve fun, fresh, healthy food or snacks at the festival are open until 28 August 2022.
HALLYUPOPFEST DRAWS 15,000 FANS TO QUDOS
K-pop music festival HallyuPopFest Sydney raised the roof at Qudos Bank Arena last weekend. The event, which was proudly supported by Destination NSW, featured a stellar line-up of Korean pop stars performing and meeting their devoted fans. Geoff Jones, CEO of TEG Live said: “Over the weekend we saw more than 15,000 people attend HallyuPopFest to watch a stellar line-up of K-Pop stars perform. TEG would like to thank the NSW Government for their support in bringing this celebration of Korean culture and pop music to Sydney.”
SHORT-TERM VISITOR ARRIVALS FOR JUNE
New Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows there were 91,340 short-term visitor arrivals to NSW in June, an increase of 74,460 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year. The three leading source countries for visitors were: New Zealand (16,780 trips), United States (12,120) and India (8050). There were 11,230 international student arrivals to NSW in June, an increase of 10,980 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year. Overall, Australia welcomed 730,400 arrivals in June, a monthly increase of 79,880 trips.
CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF INDIAN INDEPENDENCE
The sails of the Sydney Opera House were cloaked in the tricolours of the Indian national flag this week to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the country’s independence. NSW Minister for Multiculturalism Mark Coure said: “The latest Census data shows India is NSW’s third-largest source of international students and one of our biggest sources of visitors. The common theme here is people and we recognise that people are key to our future success."
ROOM RATES RISE FOR SYDNEY HOTELS
Hotels in Sydney are commanding higher room rates than pre-COVID-19 according to new data from global hospitality analytics firm STR. Preliminary July data shows occupancy was 65.8 per cent during the month, with an average daily room rate of $239.96. Occupancy was slightly lower following the high rates experienced during Vivid Sydney 2022. When looking at daily data, Sydney hotels reported just two days of occupancy below 50 per cent during July.
MUNDI MUNDI BASH DRAWS 8000 FANS
Close to 8000 music lovers have flocked to the Mundi Mundi Plains on the edge of Broken Hill for the Mundi Mundi Bash music festival. Supported by Destination NSW, the event features performances from music legends including Midnight Oil and Jimmy Barnes. The festival is expected to deliver a welcome economic boost to the region. Broken Hill City Council reported that the inaugural Mundi Mundi Bash brought $3.5 million into the city in April 2022.
ATLASSIAN HQ CONSTRUCTION
Construction is underway on global software giant Atlassian’s 39-storey headquarters near Sydney's Central Station, which will anchor the Tech Central precinct. Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade Alister Henskens said: "The building will boost our market competitiveness and welcome 5000 future technology and supporting industry jobs, in addition to creating over 800 construction jobs." The project is expected to be open in 2027.
VISITOR ECONOMY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS
$68 MILLION ARTS AND CULTURAL FUNDING: Professional artists, arts organisations and local councils can apply for funding through the 2022/23 NSW Government’s $68 million Arts and Cultural Funding Program. Learn more
DON’T MISS OUT ON A CROWN LAND AWARD: Crown land managers can submit nominations for the three Crown land categories in the 2022 Community Achievement Awards for Regional NSW by 23 August 2022. Learn more
ICONIC FRESHWATER FERRIES RETURN TO SYDNEY HARBOUR: The F1 Circular Quay to Manly route is set to be boosted with an extra 30 services per week following the re-introduction of Freshwater ferries to the weekday timetable. Learn more
CUMBERLAND PLAIN CONSERVATION PLAN FINALISED: A first-of-its-kind plan that protects important biodiversity and koala populations, while supporting more than 73,000 new homes in Western Sydney, has been finalised by the NSW Government. 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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