Insights - 1 July 2022
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NSW SECURES ICONIC CREATIVE CONFERENCE
SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST
Sydney has secured its place at the centre of the music, screen, gaming and tech world following the announcement the city has been chosen to host the first South by Southwest® (SXSW®) outside North America from 15–22 October 2023.
Destination NSW has secured a new annual SXSW event for the Asia Pacific from next year, which will be the first time in its 36-year history that the iconic futurist conference and festival of creativity will take place annually outside its North American origins.
Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade, Minister for Tourism and Sport and Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said: “Sydney is the economic and leisure gateway to Australia and a leader in tech innovation, with a global reputation for hosting major international events that capture the world’s attention.
“SXSW Sydney will provide significant benefits for the NSW visitor economy, with unparalleled networking opportunities to advance our tech and creative industries."
“The very best of the creative and tech industries in the Asia Pacific will be on display during SXSW Sydney, while also drawing thousands of people from around the world to enjoy our spectacular Harbour City.
CEO of TEG Geoff Jones, the event producer for SXSW Sydney, said the event would bring together the most significant group of thinkers, creators and innovators ever seen in Sydney at one time.
“This is the Olympics of events for the creator industries and SXSW Sydney will highlight what’s next in culture, music, screen, gaming, tech and innovation,” Mr Jones said.
“The city will come alive with over 1000 experiences including keynote speakers, inspiring panels and summits, live gaming sessions, screenings, product demonstrations, artists performances and countless opportunities to network at parties and dedicated events.”
Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) CEO Annabelle Herd said: "Such an exciting announcement from Destination NSW! SXSW is an absolute game changer for Sydney and our creative industries here and in the Asia Pacific."
APRA AMCOS Chief Executive Dean Ormston said: “SXSW Sydney is the injection that Australia’s burgeoning music industry needs as global markets seek more of our locally produced music.
“Having SXSW hosted in Sydney is an incredible vote of confidence in local music creators. SXSW Sydney will provide a vital new international platform showcasing the extraordinary talent of Australia’s music creators whether its live, digital, on screen or in new technologies and interactive games."
STRONG SIGNS OF NSW VISITOR ECONOMY RECOVERY
IN LATEST VISITOR SURVEY RESULTS
NSW remains Australia’s top destination for domestic visitors and welcomed the highest number of overseas visitors since the closure of international borders according to the latest figures from Tourism Research Australia (TRA).
The National and International Visitor Survey results for the year ending March 2022 show NSW welcomed 66.4 million domestic overnight and daytrip visitors, with expenditure increasing by $2 billion on the previous year. While international visitors rose to 251,200, representing a 601 per cent increase on the year ending March 2021.
Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade, Minister for Tourism and Sport and Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the results reflected the NSW Government’s recovery roadmap and were particularly positive for regional NSW.
“The last two years have been challenging for businesses in the visitor economy but they have also inspired more Australians to see their own backyard, with NSW the preferred destination of choice due to its unique and diverse tourism offering,” Mr Ayres said.
“The NSW North Coast was the nation’s most visited destination for domestic overnight visitors after Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, with regional NSW accounting for 31 per cent of domestic overnight visitors in regional Australia.
“Strategic investments by the NSW Government with local councils and the private sector in visitor infrastructure, transport and destination marketing mean regional NSW is now poised to attract new international visitor segments and a greater share of traditional markets.
“On the back of these encouraging results, the NSW Government’s $422 million commitment to the state’s visitor economy outlined in the 2022-23 NSW Budget, will ensure we reach our target of $65 billion in total visitor expenditure by 2030 and achieve our goal of making NSW the premier visitor economy of the Asia Pacific.”
The highest number of international visitors came from New Zealand (44,800), followed by the United Kingdom (36,600) and the United States (28,400). China remained the top country for visitor expenditure in NSW ($201.7 million), followed by India ($184.5 million) and the United Kingdom ($161.7 million).
Federal Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell said the results were proof Australia’s tourism industry was continuing to bounce back despite the challenges of COVID-19.
Total domestic visitor spend, which includes overnight and day spend, reached $25.9 billion. This is $1.5 billion higher than the next highest quarter during the pandemic.
“Australians spent 70 million nights visiting regional areas in the March quarter," Mr Farrell said. "As a result, regional tourism spending rates were not only higher than last year, but also 23 per cent higher than the same quarter before the pandemic quarter. It is tremendous to see Australia’s regions doing so well as tourism recovers.”
Other key results for the year ending March 2022 compared to March 2021
- Combined international and domestic Sydney overnight expenditure was up 104.7 per cent to $6 billion.
- Sydney domestic overnight visitors up 22 per cent with spend up 70 per cent to $4.7 billion.
- International visitor nights in NSW increased by 444 per cent to 15.6 million nights.
- International visitor spend in NSW increased by 511 per cent to $1.5 billion.
- Domestic overnight NSW expenditure was up 14.6 per cent to $16.7 billion.
- Regional NSW domestic overnight expenditure was up 1.8 per cent to $12.1 billion.
- The region that saw the biggest increase in domestic overnight expenditure was the Murray, followed by the Central Coast and New England North West.
- The Central Coast saw an increase in domestic visitor nights (+11 per cent) and domestic overnight expenditure (+26.5 per cent).
- The Hunter, North Coast and South Coast NSW are among the top five regional destinations for day trips in Australia.
NEW DESTINATION NETWORK STRUCTURE GOES LIVE
The Destination Networks are the ‘shopfront’ for Destination NSW in regional NSW and play a vital role in growing the visitor economy of regional NSW by working closely with local government, tourism organisations, visitor economy businesses and a diverse network of stakeholders.
From 1 July 2022, changes to the network boundaries and structure are being rolled out across the state to ensure the regional visitor economy is set up for continued success and receives increased support at the local level in several key areas.
In the Greater Sydney and surrounds region, minor changes to the Destination Sydney Surrounds South and Sydney Surrounds North boundaries have been made to reflect the Western Sydney City Deal and regional administrative structures across the NSW Government. As result, the Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Penrith, and Wollondilly Local Government Areas are now included for administrative purposes in the Western Parkland City and the Greater Sydney region. This amendment also reflects the NSW Government’s increasing focus on infrastructure and planning across Greater Sydney, particularly for the areas surrounding the new Western Sydney International Nancy-Bird Walton Airport.
To support this transition, Destination NSW is recruiting a new Manager Local Government to provide advice and support to councils in Greater Sydney on ways to grow their local visitor economy and provide a concierge service for local government to the full range of visitor economy development services which Destination NSW offers.
One of the most significant changes to the network structure is the creation of a new Destination Network for Central West NSW. This is designed to increase resources for well-established visitor destinations in the region, including Bathurst, Orange and Mudgee. In response to stakeholder feedback on the original proposal to establish the new entity, the Local Government Areas of Forbes, Lachlan and Parkes have been incorporated into the new Destination Central West NSW boundary.
In other amendments, the proposed relocation of Snowy Valleys Local Government Area from Destination Riverina Murray to Destination Southern NSW was also reviewed in response to stakeholder feedback. This process determined that remaining in Destination Riverina Murray was the best fit for Snowy Valleys Council and would deliver the best opportunities for visitor economy recovery and growth.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the NSW Government was committed to growing the visitor economy of regional NSW with the right framework in place to support visitor growth, job creation, skills development and stakeholder engagement.
“We are proud of our track record of supporting the regional visitor economy, including the establishment of the Destination Networks, and these changes give the Networks an even stronger and more sustainable framework to support our growth targets,” Mr Toole said.
Minister for Tourism Stuart Ayres said the Destination Networks played a key role in delivering the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2030, including our target of $25 billion in regional overnight visitor expenditure by 2030.
“We have a vision of making NSW the premier visitor economy of the Asia Pacific and it is critical the regional visitor economy is supported appropriately to help achieve this,” Mr Ayres said.
The NSW Government established the original six Destination Networks in 2016 following a review of regional tourism to improve regional stakeholder engagement and better support the regional NSW visitor economy.
Click here for a video announcing the new Destination Network Central West NSW.
NATIONAL INDIGENOUS ART FAIR
LAUNCHES NAIDOC WEEK
The National Indigenous Art Fair will return to Sydney on 2-3 July, showcasing creations from First Nations artists and makers from around Australia.
The art fair, which launches NAIDOC Week 2022, is taking place at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in The Rocks.
Proudly supported by Destination NSW, the event provides Sydneysiders and visitors with the opportunity to buy ethical, authentic art directly from the artists. It includes a two-day festival of Indigenous Australian art, song, dance, communal weaving, smoking ceremonies, bushfood and culture.
“The National Indigenous Art Fair symbolises an incredible gathering of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creatives, with many travelling from the far corners of Australia — places like Haasts Bluff, the Tiwi Islands and Yuendumu," said Peter Cooley, CEO of event founder First Hand Solutions Aboriginal Corporation.
"The event presents a rare and exciting opportunity for the broader community to interact directly with the makers and hear their stories.”
There will be 50 stallholders at this ethical marketplace, with all proceeds going directly back to the artist and First Nations communities.
National NAIDOC Week celebrations are being held across Australia from 3-10 July 2022, recognising the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
ALFRESCO DINING MEASURES EXTENDED
The NSW Government has extended its temporary alfresco measures until at least 31 December 2023 to further support the hospitality industry. Minister for Hospitality and Racing Kevin Anderson said the measures would enable businesses to use a range of spaces for outdoor dining, such as parks and car parks. “The uptake has largely been in the CBD, but we would love to see more regional venues take up this opportunity and consider permanent options that reflect the community’s desire to dine outdoors year-round,” Mr Anderson said. The $5000 Alfresco Restart Rebate also remains available.
FUNDING TO BUILD BUSINESS CASES
The NSW Government’s $24 million Regional NSW Business Case and Strategy Development Fund is now open for applications. The fund aims to support local councils, joint organisations of councils, not-for-profit, industry and Aboriginal community groups to develop business cases or strategies for projects delivering significant economic or social benefits to regional communities, with a focus on infrastructure. The funding will help organisations build their capacity to plan for and deliver projects and regional development initiatives and build a pipeline of investment-ready projects. Applications close 24 August 2022.
STAYING COVID-19 SAFE THESE WINTER HOLIDAYS
During the cooler months, both COVID-19 and flu will continue circulating in our community. The NSW Government has developed a toolkit to help protect the NSW community and keep businesses open during these winter school holidays. The toolkit contains newsletter and website copy, social tiles and posts, fact sheets and posters to support businesses and local councils as they maintain and reinforce COVID-safe behaviours in the community.
CELEBRATING NSW
IN PARIS
Tourism Australia celebrated the recommencement of travel from France to Australia by hosting a series of events in Paris. The events were held in conjunction with Destination NSW and other tourism bodies to showcase news and updates to media, trade and specialist travel agents. The event series included a media breakfast and an evening function with more than 40 tourism industry guests. In 2019, France was Australia’s 16th largest inbound market for visitor arrivals
WARANARA FIRST NATIONS TOURS RETURN
Discover Aboriginal Experiences member The Australian Museum has recommenced the popular Waranara First Nations Tour, inviting visitors to learn about the knowledge systems and sustainable practices of our First Nations Peoples. Waranara means ‘to seek’ in the First Nations language of the Sydney region and visitors will do just that in the one-hour tour of the First Nations Galleries. The First Nations guides will share personal stories about the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
WINTER HOLIDAY FUN
IN THE REGIONS
Young people in regional NSW are being encouraged to get active, learn new skills and have fun with friends these winter school holidays. Regional youth can enjoy free or heavily subsidised activities including arts and craft workshops, sports days and social clubs as part of the NSW Government’s $10 million Holiday Break Program. Minister for Sport Stuart Ayres said: “These school holidays there are 16 camps across regional NSW that include meals and activities such as archery, BMX, orienteering, problem solving skills and more."
NRMA OCEAN BEACH & DARKINJUNG MoU
NRMA Parks and Resorts has signed an MoU with the Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council on the NSW Central Coast for its Ocean Beach Holiday Park at Umina. NRMA will offer direct employment as well as opportunities for local First Nations businesses, while offering visitors a chance to learn about Indigenous culture and heritage on their holidays. Guests at Ocean Beach can look forward to making a personal connection with Darkinjung people and taking part in a Welcome to Country, hearing traditional stories and discovering ancient rock art sites right on the doorstep on the Central Coast.
FREE HOSPITALITY COURSES EXTENDED
The NSW Government is providing extra support to the hospitality industry by extending free refresher courses into next year in a bid to address staff shortages. Anyone whose certification expired from February 2020 can renew their RSA, or RSA and RCG together, for free, until February 2023 without having to retrain in full. Minister for Hospitality and Racing Kevin Anderson said: “Many who left the sector have seen their certifications lapse. We want to make it easy for them to quickly and freely renew those certifications and remove any barriers that are preventing them from re-entering the sector."
SURF CLUBS CATCH $3 MILLION FUNDING WAVE
Twenty-three Surf Life Saving Clubs across NSW have secured up to $500,000 in grants as part of a four-year $16 million commitment from the NSW Government. Minister for Tourism and Sport Stuart Ayres said the grants would ensure surf life saving volunteers continue to keep beaches safe and facilities are inclusive and accessible.
SUNRISE VISITS BATHURST & GOULBURN
Bathurst and Goulburn will be showcased on Weekend Sunrise this weekend. Weather presenter James Tobin will visit the region during JT Travels NSW, a recurring segment created in partnership with Destination NSW. Mr Tobin will film live from Bathurst on 2 July 2022 and Goulburn on 3 July 2022. Weekend Sunrise is one of the country's highest rating breakfast shows.
VISITOR ECONOMY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS
HELP SHAPE THE NEW ABORIGINAL CULTURAL HERITAGE SYSTEM: The NSW Government is calling for expressions of interest (EOI) from Aboriginal organisations, communities, and individuals to contribute to the pre-design research stage of the new Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Information System. The EOI program closes 21 July 2022. Learn more
$6 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS: Not-for-profit organisations are encouraged to apply for funding with a new round of the highly popular ClubGrants Infrastructure program now open. Learn more
LOCAL BUSINESS PROJECTS SET TO DRIVE REGIONAL GROWTH: Work will soon get underway on a number of innovative projects that will turbocharge job creation and stimulate regional economies, thanks to the NSW Government’s $40 million Regional Job Creation Fund Round Two. Learn more
NSW GOVERNMENT CONNECTS NEWCOMERS WITH OPPORTUNITIES IN REGIONAL NSW: The NSW GROW pilot program is helping new migrants and refugees in Western Sydney find new opportunities in the Murray and Riverina regions. Learn more
NSW GOVERNMENT INVESTS IN ABORIGINAL KOALA CONSERVATION: A $600,000 investment to support an Aboriginal koala habitat conservation project is being delivered as one of the first actions in the NSW Koala Strategy. Learn more
2021 CENSUS RESULTS REVEALED: The results of the 2021 Census show Australia is a fast changing, growing and culturally diverse nation. Learn more
FREE FLU SHOTS FOR ALL EXTENDED TO 17 JULY: Free flu shots for NSW residents will be extended until 17 July amid concerns vaccination rates are still not where they should be. 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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