International arrivals to NSW are set to surge over the coming weeks, with record numbers of people expected to travel during Lunar New Year.

The festival runs from 29 January to 12 February 2025 and is the world’s busiest travel period.

Sydney is home to one of the largest Lunar New Year celebrations in the Asia Pacific, with Australian Bureau of Statistics data showing North and Southeast Asian visitation to NSW skyrocketed during last year’s festival.

Arrivals almost doubled from most North and Southeast Asian markets in February 2024 compared to January 2024 and are expected to be even higher in 2025, following China's State Council extending the holiday.

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.

Minister for Tourism John Graham said: “Lunar New Year is such an exciting time right across Sydney and we’re very pleased to see our celebrations attracting enormous numbers of visitors from across Southeast Asia.

“This is great for the NSW visitor economy and it’s great for the vibrancy of our city.

“Yes, overseas visitors often come to Sydney for the big, iconic landmarks, but what keeps them coming back are the amazing experiences they have while they’re here.

“Food and cultural experiences across Western Sydney will be an increasingly important part of the NSW visitor economy, particularly with the opening of Western Sydney International Airport next year.

“We’re working to with Destination NSW to promote more and more of these rich experiences as we support the NSW visitor economy to hit our new target of $91 billion of expenditure by 2035.”

Rising demand for international travel has been fuelled by China’s State Council extending the Lunar New Year holiday period to eight days, with the country’s Civil Aviation Administration forecasting there will be a record-breaking 90 million passenger trips.

Sydney Airport will welcome more than 501,000 passengers from greater China during the peak January through February Lunar New Year period, when the airport will receive 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.

Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton said: “Sydney Airport offers the highest seat capacity from greater China of any Australian airport and Lunar New Year promises to be one of the busiest periods of the year at both our international and domestic terminals.”

“The volume of passengers from greater China over the Lunar New Year period, more than half a million, demonstrates Sydney’s status as Australia’s gateway to the world and our enduring appeal as a destination for Chinese travellers.”

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 25 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.

KK Day Business Development Manager, Oceania Jee Kim said the travel operator, which works with markets including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan and Singapore, had seen its revenue increase for the Lunar New Year period.

“We are preparing for a last-minute surge in bookings which, together with the increase in direct flights from major inbound markets to Sydney, will lead to strong visitation in February,” Ms Kim said.

“Our clients love experiencing nature, wildlife and the beauty of Sydney Harbour during their visits. Among our most popular visitor experiences during Lunar New Year are Blue Mountains Day Tours, Port Stephens Tours, Merlin Attractions [SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, Sydney Tower Eye], Sydney Princess Cruises on the harbour, Australian National Maritime Museum, Taronga Zoo, Sydney Opera House guided tours, Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park, hot air ballooning in the Hunter Valley and the SkyFeast at Sydney Tower.”

Merlin Attractions CEO Ian Wood said: “The Lunar New Year is as important as the Christmas and New Year holidays, the Easter school holidays and Vivid Sydney in attracting visitors to Sydney and regional NSW.

“Sydney’s festivities are some of the largest Lunar New Year celebrations outside of Asia and are a key trading period for our industry.

“In 2024, we welcomed over 200,000 guests from the North and Southeast Asian markets to Merlin Entertainments attractions across Australia and with the majority of these guests visiting WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo and SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium this market is hugely important to us in Sydney. In comparison to 2024 our numbers are looking positive and we can’t wait to welcome all of our guests over this Lunar New Year period.”

The largest Lunar New Year celebration in Greater Sydney, Sydney Lunar Festival, will be held in Sydney CBD for 19 days from 29 January. It will include street parties, live entertainment, food, lion dances, dragon boat races and art and light installations.

Burwood, Chatswood, Cabramatta, Campsie, Eastwood and Hurstville and other local government areas in Greater Sydney are also hosting large celebrations for Lunar New Year.

Learn more at Sydney.com and VisitNSW.com