Destination NSW targets high-value North American visitors

Destination NSW has leveraged surging visitation from one of the world’s biggest tourism markets with its 2025 North America Roadshow.

Nineteen NSW visitor economy operators took part in the roadshow, which included full-day workshops and networking events in Los Angeles and New York City. The initiative provided an opportunity engage directly with influential wholesalers, product managers and retail travel advisors from the United States and Canada.

The operators represented a diverse range of products and experiences, including BridgeClimb Sydney, Lets Go Surfing, Opera Australia, Scenic World Blue Mountains, Sydney Opera House, Moonshadow –TQC Crises, Anderson’s Tours and Taronga Sydney.

New Tourism Research Australia data shows the United States was NSW’s second largest market for visitors and third largest market for expenditure in the year ending December 2024. NSW welcomed 451,700 visitors from the United States (up 5.9 per cent year on year), who stayed 4.9 million nights (up 26.5 per cent year on year) and contributed $842.2 million in expenditure.

NSW was also a popular destination for Canadian travellers in the year ending December 2024. The state welcomed 89,400 visitors from Canada in the year ending December 2024 (up 0.9 per cent year on year), who contributed $162 million in expenditure to the visitor economy.

Destination NSW Acting CEO Karen Jones said: “Destination NSW was excited to return to the high-value North American market alongside visitor economy operators from across the state.

“The United States is the second biggest global spender on international travel behind China and the event was an exciting opportunity to showcase the state’s diverse experiences, which connect visitors with the culture, nature and people of NSW.”

Anderson’s Tours Managing Director Jihane Farah said: “Having all these opportunities to meet with North American buyers and expand into this market has been fantastic. While we have been established for a long time, it was our first time in this market, and we were so excited to amplify awareness of our product.”

Chicago-based Southern World Vacations Director Peter Askin said: “Thank you to Destination NSW for coming into the North American market, it’s huge. We need more Australian suppliers to make their faces seen and heard here. It is important that the travel operators who sell Australian experiences and products from overseas are educated and across their product range.

“One of the major insights I gained from the roadshow was around regional NSW. People want to experience Sydney Harbour, climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge and visit the Sydney Opera House, but regional NSW has a lot to offer and so those are the new experiences that we’re really trying to highlight.”

NSW visitor economy businesses in attendance at the Destination NSW North America Roadshow: