New Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data has revealed the significant impact cultural events such as Lunar New Year have on the NSW visitor economy, with a notable surge in visitation from China in January 2025.

There were 272,580 short-term visitor arrivals to NSW in January 2025, an increase of 31,940 (13.3 per cent) compared to January 2024. The number of trips for January 2025 was 3.6 per cent lower than pre-pandemic levels in January 2019.

China was the leading source country for visitors to NSW in January 2025 with 48,150 trips, up from 30,540 in January 2024.

The second leading source of visitors to NSW in January 2025 was the United States (37,920), followed by South Korea (27,080).

In December 2024 the three leading source countries for visitors to NSW were the United States (48,060 trips), the United Kingdom (39,170) and New Zealand (38,920). China followed in fourth place with 28,320 arrivals.

The Lunar New Year festival, which ran from 29 January to 12 February 2025, is the world's busiest travel period.

Sydney is home to one of the largest Lunar New Year celebrations in the Asia Pacific, with ABS data showing North and Southeast Asian visitation to NSW also skyrocketed during last year’s festival, which ran from 10-25 February 2024.

Arrivals almost doubled from most North and Southeast Asian markets in February 2024 compared to January 2024.

Among the biggest Lunar New Year visitation rises in 2024:

  • Holidaymaker visitation from mainland China to NSW rose 115 per cent in February 2024 compared to January 2024
  • Holidaymaker visitation from Hong Kong to NSW rose 158 per cent in February 2024 compared to January 2024
  • Holidaymaker visitation from Vietnam rose 377 per cent in February 2024 compared to January 2024
  • Holidaymaker visitation from Singapore rose 101 per cent in February 2024 compared to January 2024
  • South Korean holidaymakers surged to 142 per cent of February 2019 levels, while the visiting friends and family segment was up 105 per cent
  • Vietnamese holidaymakers rose to 139 per cent of February 2019 levels, while the visiting friends and family segment was up 163 per cent.

Rising demand for international travel in 2025 was fuelled by China’s State Council extending the Lunar New Year holiday period to eight days.

Sydney Airport expected to welcome more than 501,000 passengers from greater China during the peak January through February Lunar New Year period, with the airport receiving 97 return flights per week from mainland China and 137 return flights per week from greater China.

In December 2024, Juneyao Air became the ninth China-based carrier to touch down at Sydney Airport thanks to Destination NSW’s Aviation Attraction Fund. Juneyao Air initially operated four direct services a week from Shanghai to Sydney, rising to daily during the Lunar New Year period.

Destination NSW Acting CEO Karen Jones said: “Destination NSW works closely with airline and trade partners in North and Southeast Asia to promote visitation to Sydney and regional NSW.

“Integrated partnership marketing programs have been developed for our priority markets, with more than 50 partnership campaigns expected to be delivered during FY24-25 to drive visitation and expenditure to NSW.

“Destination NSW also provides training, seminars, workshops, familiarisation visits and an annual Focus on North Asia trade event to assist visitor economy businesses to engage with these markets.”

Focus On North Asia 2024 was held in November and is a key Destination NSW trade engagement program designed to showcase NSW products and destinations to the North Asian travel buyer market.