Chairman & CEO Foreword

Foreword from the Chairman

Earlier this year, the Minister for Jobs and Tourism, the Hon. John Graham MLC tasked global tourism CEO and director Andrew McEvoy, Secretary of the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport, Elizabeth Mildwater, and me, to undertake a new Visitor Economy Strategy 2035.

Supported by a small team from Destination NSW and the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport, we heard from more than 600 stakeholders, from our most iconic cultural institutions to bush café owners. The Minister wants every visitor to have an even more inclusive experience — to do what locals do, whether it's listening to a jazz band in inner-Sydney, going fishing in the Darling with First Nations custodians, or eating at a street market in Parramatta.

We discovered that while Sydney is craving a pumping nightlife, it is also a 'First Light' city, where early mornings are embraced by many of us up jogging, swimming, working out and brunching.

Hearing first-hand from so many with a stake in our visitor economy was a reminder that we do really live in the best state, and the best city, in the world.

Our organisation has remained committed to maintaining Sydney and NSW as the preferred place to visit in Australia, and the premier visitor economy.

NSW and Sydney continue to be Australia's leading state and capital for tourism, receiving the highest number of visitors, visitor nights and visitor expenditure. NSW's year-end June result of $52.9 billion in total visitor expenditure is the highest value since records began in 1998.

Destination NSW focused on strengthening our visitor economy by building aviation capacity; by building South by Southwest (SXSW) Sydney into an even bigger year-two program; by setting the stage for the Sydney Marathon to hopefully join the ranks of the Big Six marathon major cities; and delivering another magnificent Vivid Sydney over winter.

The Board would like to thank Minister Graham and Elizabeth Mildwater for their commitment and I look forward to continuing to work with the Minister, the Board and the Destination NSW team as we continue to grow the NSW visitor economy to become a leading contributor to the state's economy.

Sally Loane Chairman, Destination NSW

Foreword from the CEO

The 2023-2024 financial year has been a period marked by exceptional growth, resilience and vitality within the NSW visitor economy. Despite global challenges and cost-of-living pressures, NSW achieved a historic milestone with domestic and international visitor expenditure in NSW surpassing pre-pandemic levels and achieving more than $50 billion in visitor expenditure for the first time ever.

To drive this economic growth to even greater heights, the NSW Government undertook a review of the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2030 to showcase the best of the state to the world by focusing on the diverse range of experiences on offer. This review presents a pivotal moment for Destination NSW as we redefine our approach to sustainably growing the NSW visitor economy to ensure our efforts meet the evolving needs of visitors and industry stakeholders.

Our world-class calendar of events has remained a powerful magnet for domestic and international visitors. In October 2023, we welcomed the inaugural SXSW Sydney, as we became the first-ever host city of an annual SXSW event outside of Austin, Texas. This strongly cemented NSW's status as a world leader in creative industries and unforgettable cultural experiences.

Destination NSW joined with the Australian Government to deliver a $1.4 million NSW Choose Tourism Program. The program has been a major cornerstone initiative, encouraging more people to pursue a career in the visitor economy to help address workforce shortages in regional areas.

As Destination NSW transitions into the next financial year, we will be laser-focused on driving sustainable growth for the NSW visitor economy, promoting our culturally rich visitor experiences and investing in our Sydney and regional NSW events calendar.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Minister for Jobs and Tourism the Hon. John Graham MLC for his unwavering dedication to and enthusiasm for championing the NSW visitor economy. The next 12 months promise to be a dynamic year as we strive to reach new records and work to deliver on a refreshed NSW Visitor Economy Strategy that highlights our state as a vibrant destination for visitor experiences and unparalleled opportunities for growth and engagement.

Steve Cox Chief Executive Officer, Destination NSW