About the program

A $1.4 million campaign to encourage young people, First Nations Australians, seniors and people living with a disability to pursue a career in tourism is being rolled out across regional NSW.

Funded by the Australian Government and delivered by Destination NSW, the Choose Tourism NSW Program will address industry workforce shortages by encouraging Australians to pursue a career in the visitor economy while helping operators retain and upskill their staff.

Expanding on the success of the 2022–23 pilot program, the South Coast Centre of Excellence, the new rollout will include five diverse initiatives to help bolster the tourism sector workforce in regional areas across the state.

The initiatives include a schools program, targeted career promotion, vocational webinars, mentoring by industry leaders and professional development events.

The Choose Tourism Grant Program funding will also support a partnership with TAFE NSW to develop bespoke visitor economy training programs.

This joint initiative underscores the continued importance of addressing workforce challenges and supports the Australian Government’s commitment to THRIVE 2030 – Australia’s national strategy for the long-term sustainable growth of the visitor economy.