Insights - 18 November 2022
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DESTINATION NSW WELCOMES NEW CHAIR
Sally Loane has been announced as the new Chair of Destination NSW.
Ms Loane is a highly experienced non-executive director who serves on the boards of Chubb Insurance Australia, Venues NSW and Pankind, the Australian Pancreatic Cancer Research Foundation.
“My hometown of Tenterfield is just one example of a regional centre in NSW that’s undergoing significant change and attracting more and more visitors, whether with innovative cafes, farmers’ markets and original pubs and even old council chambers lovingly restored as boutique accommodation,” Ms Loane said.
“As a frequent visitor to rural NSW, I am passionate about regional tourism and, as incoming Chair, I look forward to helping grow the visitor economy, not only in our global city of Sydney, but right throughout our great state.”
Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin said: “Sally’s expertise in strategy, governance, complex stakeholder engagement and innovation will help steer the NSW visitor economy through its recovery phase and strengthen it for the future.”
Mr Franklin praised outgoing chair Christine McLoughlin AM for the significant contribution she had made during her term, steering Destination NSW through the crisis years of the pandemic.
“Under Christine’s stewardship, Destination NSW accelerated the implementation of the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2030, launched the Feel New destination brand, developed new funding programs and aviation support packages and delivered a vibrant, world-class calendar of major events,” Mr Franklin said.
“On behalf of the NSW Government, I would like to thank Christine for her passion and unwavering commitment to her role.”
2022 NSW TOURISM AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED
The winners of the NSW Tourism Awards for 2022 were revealed last night in iconic Luna Park Sydney’s Big Top.
More than 450 industry representatives gathered for the first time in three years to celebrate outstanding visitor economy businesses.
The NSW Tourism Awards are managed by the NSW Tourism Industry Council at Business NSW in partnership with Destination NSW.
“The NSW Tourism Awards celebrate those tourism experiences that inspire visitors to Feel New and recognise those businesses who exemplify quality tourism,” said Paula Martin, Senior Director, NSW Tourism Industry Council.
“These businesses provide leadership in innovation, marketing and in the delivery of quality products and services. These are businesses who advance and promote the NSW and Australian tourism industry through consistent customer service and quality experiences to all.
“A highlight of this year’s awards program was the high number of first-time entrants [32], many of whom are very new businesses, they should all be very proud of this recognition of their business excellence."
Riverside Holiday Resort Urunga was inducted into the NSW Tourism Awards Hall of Fame, after taking out top honours in Excellence in Accessible Tourism for the third year in a row.
Glenayr Farm Mudgee and Love Lord Howe were joint recipients of the Judges’ Tourism Star Award, a special award to reward their tremendous resilience and innovation during a very challenging year.
North Coast hospitality and tourism entrepreneur Donna Carrier was awarded the Dean Gorddard Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Individual to NSW in recognition of her dedication and advocacy for tourism in her local and regional area.
Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin said: “I’d like to congratulate all winners and finalists of the 2022 NSW Tourism Awards, who have shown a commitment to excellence throughout this year.
“It is an exciting time for our visitor economy, with domestic overnight visitor expenditure in NSW recently surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
“The NSW Government is committed to supporting tourism operators, businesses and event owners that create jobs, boost regional economies and position NSW as a global destination.”
It was exciting to see so many NSW First Program alumni among the winners. Destination NSW delivers the NSW First program to assist tourism businesses around the state to develop, promote and sell their tourism products. Learn more here.
Destination NSW Associate Director Product Development Jenny Mitchell said: "What a thrill to see so many businesses that have participated in NSW First Program recognised for their passion, tenacity and dedication to providing exceptional visitor experiences.
"Twenty-eight of the winners have been part of NSW First capability-building initiatives including workshops, webinars, the Digital Accelerator for Tourism and business-to-business events, including product showcases and the NSW New Product Workshop."
Winners in the designated national award categories will represent NSW at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, supported by Destination NSW, which will be held in Sydney on 17 March 2023.
View the full winners' list here.
THE UNEXPECTED TRAVEL TRENDS FOR 2023
Expedia Group has unveiled an 'Unexpected Travel Trends for 2023' report, compiled from data and research across 17 countries. It has revealed that Sydney is one of the world's top 10 culture capitals on travellers' radars and the only Australian city to feature on the list.
Many destinations that are seeing the largest increase in interest are cities such as Sydney, where art and culture festivities are getting back to full swing.
Meanwhile, more than half (60 per cent) of Australian travellers are planning to stay in a city hotel next year, with Sydney, Albury, the Central Coast, The Blue Mountains and Newcastle among the top 10 domestic destinations.
Rustic getaways are also on the rise, with travellers craving private holiday homes with space and views. According to Stayz, demand for holiday homes in some rural destinations is up by more than 90 per cent. Interest in mountainside destinations with views of lakes and rivers is also up by 50 per cent.
The number one Stayz rural property was The Maple Lodge in Robertson, with Coolabah FarmHouse in Bungonia and Arbor Escape in Upper Colo also in the top five.
OPEN FOR LUNCH
TICKETS ON SALE
Tickets are on sale for OPEN FOR LUNCH, which will kick off the Summer in Sydney event series on 2 December 2022. Supported by Destination NSW, it will feature four dining precincts in the CBD, plus a takeover of CommBank Stadium at Parramatta. Restaurants participating will include glass brasserie, mimi’s, Totti’s, Porteño, Esteban, NOLA Smokehouse, Rockpool Bar & Grill and Misc. Parramatta, with experiences ranging from a disco picnic to a small bar fairground, a Texan hoedown and a paddock-to-plate journey by Matt Moran.
NATURAL DISASTER QUICK TIPS GUIDES
Destination NSW has created a series of NSW First Quick Tips Guides that provide practical advice to help visitor economy businesses impacted by flooding. The Tourism Resilience Guides include tips to prepare for natural disasters, respond during natural disasters and recover after natural disasters. The Department of Customer Service has also released an updated communications toolkit to help share important information with networks and communities impacted by severe weather and floods. Download toolkit here
DOMESTIC VISITOR NIGHTS AND SPEND RISE
Visitor numbers in Australia have almost returned to pre-pandemic levels according to the latest data from Tourism Research Australia. There were 8.5 million overnight trips (down just one per cent compared to August 2019), visitors spent 31 million nights away (up 2 per cent compared to August 2019). Spend was up 30 per cent ($1.9 billion) to $8.1 billion compared to August 2019.
BUSINESS TRAVEL REBOUNDS
Domestic business travel has almost returned to pre-COVID-19 levels, as corporate leaders increasingly favour
face-to-face contact over online meetings and virtual conferences. Business travel spending in Australia during August reached 92 per cent of its pre-pandemic levels ($2 billion) according to Tourism Research Australia data. Business travellers took two million trips in August.
INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS FOR SEPTEMBER
Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows that in September 2022 there were 1,071,520 international arrivals to Australia – a monthly increase of 43,820 trips. There were 128,980 short-term visitor arrivals to NSW, an increase of 128,250 compared with the corresponding month of the previous year. The three leading source countries for NSW were New Zealand (23,320 trips), United States (14,030) and the United Kingdom (11,330).
REFORMS FOR LATE-NIGHT ECONOMY
The NSW night-time economy is thriving, with close to 200 live performance venues able to play later and for longer since the NSW Government’s 24-Hour Economy reforms commenced two years ago. 24-Hour Economy Commissioner Michael Rodrigues said the reforms had helped night-time industries build a vibrant, safe and sustainable offering. “It is fantastic to see so many festivals, venues and artists taking advantage of the reforms," he said.
SYDNEY SUPER CUP
KICKS OFF
Scottish Premiership champions Celtic FC took on local A-League heavyweights Sydney FC in the first-ever Sydney Super Cup match at Allianz Stadium this week. Destination NSW has secured the biennial tournament, which will bring the world’s best football clubs to Sydney. The first instalment also features English Premier League team Everton FC. Celtic FC will take on Everton FC at Accor Stadium on 20 November, with Everton FC playing Western Sydney Wanderers FC at CommBank Stadium on 23 November.
T20 WORLD CUP BOOSTS VISITOR ECONOMY
The ICC T20 Men’s World Cup has reached its conclusion, with Sydney Cricket Ground welcoming more than 177,000 cricket fans through its gates during the tournament, providing a huge boost to the visitor economy and showcasing the stunning Harbour City to the world. NSW hosted six Super 12 matches, including Australia's opening match against New Zealand and a semi-final match. The matches were secured as part of the NSW Government’s 10 World Cups in 10 Years initiative.
LONELY PLANET HOT 30 LIST FOR 2023
Lonely Planet has unveiled its top destinations to visit next year with the release of Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2023. Travellers looking to connect with distinctive local scenes have been directed to Sydney, which Lonely Planet declares to be "back on the map" in the lead up to Sydney WorldPride. Lonely Planet’s Chris Zeiher said: “Pack your glitter and dancing shoes and ensure your inhibitions don’t miss the flight as Sydney will be the place to see and be seen in 2023!"
EXTENDED TRADING HOURS FOR WORLD CUP
Rugby league fans across the state will be able to cheer on the green and gold this Sunday morning, with the NSW Government approving extended trading hours for pubs and clubs showing the World Cup final between Australia and Samoa live. Minister for Hospitality and Racing Kevin Anderson said fans will be the big winners as they watch the Kangaroos in action on venues’ big screens, with the temporary extension of trading hours between 2am and 6am.
BESYDNEY RELEASES ANNUAL REPORT
BESydney has released its financial report for the 2022 financial year, showing the company secured 31 meetings that attracted 47,000 delegates and generated an estimated $132 million in direct expenditure for the NSW economy. Chair Bruce Baird said: “BESydney continued its bidding activities, retained secured business impacted by the pandemic; and administered two industry support programs on behalf of the NSW Government. Cumulatively this work secured 192 meetings which we expect will attract 95,600 delegates, staying 258,000 delegate days; and generate an estimated $159 million in direct expenditure."
INBOUND STRATEGY WORKSHOPS POSTPONED
Destination NSW's NSW First Program Inbound Strategy Workshops scheduled to take place in Griffith (24 November) and Orange (29 November) have been postponed to 2023 due to floods impacting the surrounding regions. New dates for these workshops will be scheduled for early 2023, and an Online Inbound Strategy Workshop will take place on 21 February 2023 for businesses from across NSW to attend. The workshops are designed to assist visitor economy businesses, including tours, attractions and accommodation providers, to prepare to sell to international travellers through the inbound distribution system.
BLUE MOUNTAINS EXPLORER BACK ON TRACK
The famous Blue Mountains Explorer Bus red double-decker sightseeing fleet will be back on route seven days from 17 December 2022. Prior to the 2019-20 bushfires, Explorer Bus transported 65,000 passengers a year. Fantastic Aussie Tours Managing Director Jason Cronshaw said that only one hop-on/hop-off bus was currently traversing the sightseeing circuit around Leura and Katoomba, on Saturdays and public holidays. "Now that the number of overseas guests is growing, we can operate seven days once more," he said.
SECOND BLUE PLAQUES NOMINATION ROUND
The second round of nominations for the NSW Government's Blue Plaques program has opened and closes on 21 December 2022. For more information on Blue Plaques recipients, installation locations and how to nominate a Blue Plaque, visit the Blue Plaques website. Another 14 Blue Plaque recipients have also been announced. They include poet and author Dorothea Mackellar, Australia’s seventh Prime Minister Billy Hughes and the 1965 Freedom Ride, which was pivotal in highlighting the racial discrimination experienced by Aboriginal people.
JOBS AND SKILLS AUSTRALIA LAUNCHES
Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) has been formally established, providing independent advice to government on current and emerging workforce needs. Federal Minister for Skills and Training Brendan O’Connor said: “We invested an additional $12.9 million in last month’s budget to help JSA identify and anticipate skills shortages. We’ll set the skills and training sector back on the right path to provide for a secure economy and bright future for all Australians."
GET READY FOR WINE TOURISM GRANTS
Australia’s wine and cider producers will be able to access a fourth round of grants to support the wine industry, attract visitors to wine regions and promote agri-tourism. Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Murray Watt said applications for the Wine Tourism and Cellar Door Grant Program would open later this month. "More visitors to regional Australia means more job opportunities, helping to create dynamic communities in our famous wine regions," he said.
EV CHARGING NETWORK EXPANDS
The NSW Government and NRMA charging network has enabled more than 13 million zero emission kilometres of electric vehicle (EV) travel across the state - equal to the distance to the moon and back more than 30 times. The milestone was reached as the network continues to expand, with new chargers along the Mitchell Highway at Nyngan and Bourke and out to Brewarrina along the Kamilaroi Highway. The new site at Casino supports travel along the Bruxner Highway and the new Temora site provides another NRMA fast charging location in the Riverina.
SYDNEY METRO OPENS CENTRAL WALK
The first stage of the new Central Walk pedestrian concourse at Central Station has opened, marking a significant milestone in the delivery of the NSW Government’s Sydney Metro project.The 80-metre-long underground concourse includes escalator access to suburban platforms 16 to 23 for the first time in the station’s 116-year history. Remaining work on the next stage of Central Walk includes finalising installation of four lifts and the remaining eight of 15 new escalators, along with installing cladding, services and tiles.
VISITOR ECONOMY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS
NSW AND INDONESIAN TRADE TIES STRENGTHENED: Trade, investment and collaboration opportunities with Indonesia are set to be bolstered across new growth areas with the renewal of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NSW and Jakarta. Learn more
HAVE YOUR SAY ON REVIEW OF NSW RETAIL LEASES ACT: The NSW Government has announced a review of the NSW Retail Leases Act 1994, which impacts landlords, investors and retail tenants. Stakeholders are encouraged to participate in the review. Learn more
LESS THAN FIVE WEEKS LEFT TO ENTER NATIONAL BANKSIA SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS: The Banksia Awards are Australia’s longest running and most prestigious sustainability awards, with over 15 categories reflecting the diversity of sustainability. Learn more
TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF GEORGE STREET: The City of Sydney together with the NSW Government, will temporarily close George Street between Hunter Street and Bridge Street from 9 January 2023. Colour and seating will be added to the space during summer to encourage people to use the area and support local businesses. 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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