Insights - 12 August 2022
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THE SUNRISE STATE ARTWORK UNVEILED AT
DESTINATION NSW
An artwork by Craig Layer - The Sunrise State - has been unveiled at the Destination NSW office in Sydney.
The artwork has been created as a symbol of the enduring partnership between Destination NSW and NSW Aboriginal Tourism Operators Council (NATOC) and to acknowledge the contribution that Aboriginal culture makes to the growth and sustainability of the NSW visitor economy.
Its title - The Sunrise State - reflects NSW being the first to see and benefit from the rising sun in Australia each day and the cultural connections of First Nations People on the East Coast and inland NSW.
Mr Layer, who is CEO of NATOC, said: "The story behind the artwork intertwines the journey of Aboriginal culture in NSW and NATOC's relationship with Destination NSW.
"It also illustrates that, while each mob in NSW has different stories, their Song Lines are intertwined."
Clarence Slockee from the Bundjalung Nation, who is Director of Indigenous landscaping company Jiwah and a Gardening Australia presenter, gave a rousing Acknowledgement to Country at the event.
Destination NSW CEO Steve Cox joined with Destination NSW staff, including General Manager Policy, Product and Engagement Stephen Mahoney and Aboriginal Experiences Product Manager Sarah Allen, to celebrate the unveiling of The Sunrise State.
Mr Cox said Aboriginal tourism experiences put the 'feel' in the Feel NSW brand.
"The vibrant, diverse living Aboriginal culture in NSW offers visitors life-changing opportunities to 'Feel New'," Mr Cox said. "The Sunrise State encapsulates why showcasing and developing authentic, accessible and compelling Aboriginal experiences is key to NSW being the premier visitor economy in the Asia Pacific."
DESTINATION NSW HOSTS
CENTRAL RIVER CITY WORKSHOP
Visitor economy stakeholders have provided input on the new Destination Management Plan (DMP) for Central River City.
Stakeholders in the Blacktown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Parramatta and The Hills local government areas attended a Destination NSW workshop last week at PARKROYAL Parramatta. The workshop gave councils, businesses, Aboriginal stakeholders, universities, industry associations, potential investors, and other stakeholders the opportunity to give their feedback on gaps and opportunities in the DMP, plus pathways to realising them.
Member for Parramatta Dr Geoff Lee gave the opening address, while a panel discussion featured Amanda Brisot (General Manager, Western Sydney Business Connection), Stevan Sipka (Executive Manager Aero Partnerships, Western Sydney Airport), Joshua French (Acting Chief Executive, Greater Sydney Parklands), Susan Skuodas (Director, Place Management, Sydney Olympic Park) and David Borger (Executive Director, Business Western Sydney).
Through the Destination Management Plan process, Destination NSW is considering ways that it can best support and facilitate the growth of Western Sydney’s visitor economy.
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.
Susan Skuodas said: "It was exciting to be part of the great conversations shaping the future of the Central River City as both a local and visitor destination. The biggest takeout for me was the incredible opportunity for the heart of Sydney. I can’t wait to see the final Destination Management Plan."
GROWING CONFIDENCE IN BUSINESS EVENTS
Confidence in the business events sector is returning and regional NSW operators have the opportunity to raise their profiles with key decision makers via a free listing on the Destination NSW Meet In NSW website.
A Tourism Australia survey has revealed 84 per cent of decision-makers are planning events within the next six to 12 months, the highest figure since the start of the pandemic.
Additionally, 95 per cent of those responsible for planning events offshore stated they are likely to relocate one or more of them to Australia over the next 12 months.
The vast majority of businesses planning to hold domestic events in the future estimated that the number of events intended, the number of attendees per event and the allocated budget of their domestic event(s) would be similar if not greater than pre-COVID-19 levels.
Destination NSW Associate Director of Regional Conferencing Mitchell Gunn said operators could upload a listing to the Meet in Regional NSW website in just five to 10 minutes.
"Meetinnsw.com.au offers a free, digital marketing platform for regional stakeholders that generates more than 17,000 individual leads for business event venues and suppliers per year," Mr Gunn said.
"There has been more than 40 per cent growth in lead generation to the website since 2018. This can be attributed to the significant funds and resources Destination NSW invests to increase traffic to meetinnsw.com.au via paid search and new content creation."
The Meet in Regional NSW website is the main call to action for all Destination NSW Regional Conferencing team sales and marketing activities, meaning that a listing helps raise your business profile at trade shows, sales activities and via marketing campaigns undertaken by Destination NSW.
Ulladulla Civic Centre Manager Michelle Babington said: "The Ulladulla Civic Centre recently hosted the NSW Marine Rescue conference as a result of our listing on the Meet In Regional NSW website. The conference had more than 100 attendees and ran over two days, with a formal dinner evening on the Saturday night.
"Most of the attendees travelled to the conference and required two nights of accommodation in the Milton-Ulladulla region during their visit. The event was very well received, with the organisers praising the weekend as a huge success."
DESTINATION NSW HEADS TO
AUSTRALIA MARKETPLACE NORTH AMERICA
Destination NSW stole the show at Australia Marketplace North America from 7–9 August 2022 in Los Angeles, California.
The event was held for the first time since 2019 and included two days of pre-scheduled appointments for around 200 buyers and sellers in attendance, as well as evening networking opportunities. It attracted key industry leaders from both the US and Australia.
A lunch hosted by Destination NSW on 8 August featured a drag queen performance and showcased the exciting line-up of events coming to NSW, including Sydney WorldPride, Vivid Sydney 2023, SXSW Sydney and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.
Destination NSW USA Regional Manager Irene Morgan said: "Australia Marketplace North America was a valuable opportunity for 27 suppliers representing a wide range of NSW hotels, resorts, tours, attractions, experiences and events to engage in one-on-one appointments and networking events."
The event kicked off with an industry update featuring Tourism Australia Managing Director Phillipa Harrison and Federal Tourism Minister Don Farrell.
“The two-day event provided Australian tourism industry leaders with the opportunity to connect directly with travel agencies and tour operators in North America,” Mr Farrell said.
“The US was Australia’s third-largest source market for international visitation and the second most valuable for spend with 818,000 Americans travelling to Australia in 2019 and spending $3.9 billion.”
EV CHARGING GRANTS WEBINAR
The Office of Energy and Climate Change is holding a webinar on applying for Drive Electric NSW EV destination charging grants. An expert panel will provide an introduction to round one of the grants; plus explain how to own and operate an EV charger and how to use them to promote your business and attract EV drivers to your site. Click here for more information on the grants. The webinar will be held on 24 August 2022.
BRUNO MARS HEADS TO NEW ALLIANZ STADIUM
Bruno Mars will create history as the first official concert performance to raise the roof of the new Allianz Stadium on 14 and 15 October 2022. Destination NSW has secured the 15-time Grammy Award winner for two Australian exclusive performances to open the new stadium as an entertainment venue in style with megahits including Uptown Funk and Just The Way You Are. Tickets to the concerts are on sale now through Ticketek.
'LOVE THE DILLY'
CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES
Wollondilly Council has launched a ‘Love the Dilly’ campaign to promote the region as a visitor destination, thanks to $600,000 funding from the NSW and Commonwealth Governments’ Bushfire Local Recovery Fund. The campaign aims to increase awareness of Wollondilly and grow visitor numbers, alongside programs run by Destination NSW. Mayor Matt Gould said: "We will be promoting Wollondilly’s amazing beauty including its natural bushland and rural landscape, as well as the many charms of our towns and villages."
NEW SPACES FOR BARANGAROO
Plans for a new 1.85 hectare harbourside park and a stunning new design for the Cutaway have been unveiled as part of the next stage in the NSW Government’s transformation of Barangaroo. Minister for Cities Rob Stokes said: “The new harbour park and revamped Cutaway will be the type of public spaces that locals are proud of and visitors are drawn to. To ensure this park is a unique reflection of our city, we’ve appointed a design jury chaired by Paul Keating to help us deliver Sydney’s next great public space.”
STRONGER COUNTRY COMMUNITIES FUND
The Department of Regional NSW has launched Round 5 of the Stronger Country Communities Fund, supporting projects that aim to boost the wellbeing of communities in regional areas by providing new or upgraded social and sporting infrastructure, or community programs. Round 5 includes $160 million for community projects and up to $50 million for projects delivered by eligible community applicants. Applications close on 23 September 2022.
$40 MILLION TO GET
NSW ACTIVE
A greenway from Iron Cove to the Cooks River, designs for the Pippita Rail Trail connecting Lidcombe to Sydney Olympic Park and a key section of Wollongong’s 60km coastal Grand Pacific Walk are among $40 million of new projects funded though the NSW Government’s Get NSW Active program. Minister for Active Transport Rob Stokes said Tranches 1 and 2 of the $110 million Get NSW Active Program would deliver 55 projects across the six cities.
CELEBRATING PORT STEPHENS SEAFOOD
A compilation of recipes, artworks and stories from local chefs and the community have been shared in a new book, Port To Plate Port Stephens. The project received funding from the NSW Government's Eat More NSW Seafood program. Charities such as Stay Afloat, which supports the mental health and wellbeing of local fishers, and Ocean Watch, which is dedicated to seeing that Australia’s marine environment is valued and used responsibly, will benefit from
the proceeds.
DUEL IN THE POOL SQUAD FINALISED
Following Australia’s most successful overseas Commonwealth Games swimming campaign, a number of medal winning stars from Birmingham, including Mollie O’Callaghan and Cody Simpson have joined the Dolphins’ squad for Duel in the Pool against the USA from 19-21 August 2022. Delivered in partnership with Destination NSW, Duel in the Pool will be held at Bondi Beach and Sydney Olympic Park. It will be the first time that USA Swimming has competed as a team on Australian shores since 2007.
BEST CITY & REGIONAL RESTAURANTS IN NSW
The 2022 delicious.100 for NSW list has been released, featuring the best restaurants across the state. At number one was Pellegrino 2000 in Surry Hills, created by the team behind famed Bistrot 916. The top regional restaurant, coming in at number 18, was Beach Byron Bay. delicious Editorial Director Kerrie McCallum said: "It's no secret that the last two years have been tough on producers and restaurants. But the hospitality industry has not been discouraged and we are on a mission to find and share the most delicious restaurants in 2022."
PAUL HOGAN NAMED LEGEND OF AUSTRALIA
Paul Hogan has been presented with Tourism Australia’s inaugural ‘Legend of Australia’ by Australian Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell. Mr Hogan's memorable ‘Come Say G’Day’ ads, which first aired in 1984, set a new benchmark for tourism campaigns at the time. His iconic line “I’ll slip an extra shrimp on the barbie for you”, is still synonymous with Aussie barbecues today. The actor's Crocodile Dundee movies also boosted inward travel to Australia, which were pivotal to the extraordinary jump in visitor numbers in the late 1980s.
CRUISE SEASON KICKS OFF IN NEWCASTLE
The first cruise ship in two years sailed into Newcastle this week - P&O's Coral Princess. Port of Newcastle Executive Manager Marine and Operations Glen Hayward said: "It's great to be able to once again facilitate cruise ship visits given the important economic benefits they have for the region and the community." The arrival kicks off Newcastle's 2022-23 cruise season, which includes a total of 11 visits and an estimated 17,000 passengers.
HOSPITALITY SPENDING CONTINUES TO RISE
New Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows hospitality spending rose 9.2 per cent in NSW in June 2022. Head of macroeconomic statistics at the ABS Jacqui Vitas said: “Spending categories most impacted from COVID-19 responses - transport, hotels, cafes and restaurants, and clothing and footwear - have now returned to pre-pandemic levels.” Overall, household spending in NSW rose 7.7 per cent compared to the same time last year.
VISITOR ECONOMY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS
MADAME BUTTERFLY RETURNS TO SYDNEY HARBOUR: Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour's production of Madama Butterfly will return to the iconic over-water stage at Mrs Macquaries Point in 2023, supported by Destination NSW. Learn more
PROFESSOR ROBYNNE QUIGGIN APPOINTED TO THE TRUST OF MUSEUM OF APPLIED ARTS AND SCIENCES: Professor Quiggin will be the first Aboriginal Trustee of the Museum in its 143-year history. Professor Quiggin will work alongside Trust President Peter Collins AM QC to provide guidance and support to the Museum’s First Nations Directorate. Learn more
AIRASIA FLYING TO 120 DESTINATIONS: AirAsia is back flying across all its markets, including Sydney. Group Chief Commercial Officer Karen Chan said: "AirAsia is adding more planes every month to meet the growing travel demand and reconnect our guests to their favourite destinations in Asean and beyond." Learn more
FLYPELICAN INTRODUCES BATHURST-SYDNEY FLIGHTS: FlyPelican has been selected as Bathurst's new airline. Direct flights between Bathurst and Sydney will begin on 5 September 2022. 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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