NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2030 A ROADMAP FOR GROWING THE NSW VISITOR ECONOMY PREMIER’S FOREWORD The visitor economy This has prompted the NSW Government to is one of NSW’s major revisit our strategic planning for the sector, exports, contributing including a refresh of our 2030 Visitor Economy $38 billion to our Industry Action Plan. Our ambitions for the Gross State Product sector have not changed but we are updating and employing almost the roadmap to achieve them. 300,000 people. This relaunched 2030 Visitor Economy Strategy The presence of positions us proudly on the world stage, ready visitors adds to the to capture a global market when international State’s prosperity and travel resumes. liveability, enhancing the vibrancy of our public Our aim is to make NSW the premier visitor spaces and the lifestyle economy of the Asia Pacific. After all, our State of local residents. has many great assets and an agile tourism industry - a winning combination that brings that While NSW has long been – and remains – goal well within our reach. Australia’s top performing state for visitor numbers, nights and expenditure, the 2019/20 summer bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic Gladys Berejiklian have greatly impacted the tourism sector. Premier of NSW Sydney Harbour in Summer NSW VISITOR ECONOMY STRATEGY 2030 MINISTER FOR CONTENTS TOURISM’S FOREWORD Premier’s Foreword .............................................................................................3 Minister for Tourism’s Foreword .................................................................. 4 Acknowledgment of Country ......................................................................... 6 The NSW Government There are many exciting innovations underway issued its first Visitor or in planning – from new brands for Sydney and Highlights ............................................................................................................... 8 Economy Industry NSW to a new data-driven, visitor-first approach Action Plan in 2012 to visitor economy planning, and a new 24-Hour Vision for the NSW Visitor Economy to 2030...................................... 10 and set a target for Economy Strategy to create a vibrant, world-class overnight visitor night time economy across Greater Sydney. Other The Strategy at a Glance ................................................................................12 expenditure of $36.6 innovations include a fast-tracked approach to billion by 2020. A new digital transformation; a laser focus on promoting The Visitor Economy Explained ...................................................................14 plan for 2030 was our strengths and investing in new visitor issued in late 2018 experience assets; and the largest ever investment Strategic Context ...............................................................................................16 which set ambitious in securing new sporting, cultural and business new targets of tripling events to become known worldwide as the events overnight visitor capital of the Asia Pacific. Vision for the NSW Visitor Economy in 2030 .......................................18 expenditure to $55 Regional NSW will be key to the future of the billion. With overnight visitor expenditure at Visitor Expenditure Targets .........................................................................20 state’s visitor economy and a focus of the record levels of $35 billion in 2019, NSW was on strategy. The Government will strengthen its track to achieve the 2020 target and on a steady Guiding Principles .............................................................................................28 commitment to the regions with dedicated trajectory to 2030. funding programs and industry support and As 2019 drew to a close, no one foresaw the continuing investment in visitor economy Strategic Pillars ..................................................................................................30 disruption of the visitor economy that would result infrastructure through Special Activation Precincts from the catastrophic bushfires over summer like the one in the Snowy Mountains to create a • Strategic Pillar 1. Road to Recovery .................................................32 and the spread of COVID-19. Following years of new alpine and adventure tourism playground. drought in some parts of NSW, these events dealt We will continue to invest in the evolving • Strategic Pillar 2. Build the Brand .....................................................34 the visitor economy a crippling blow. The NSW visitor economy of Western Sydney with the Government acted quickly with targeted stimulus development of the Western Parklands City, • Strategic Pillar 3. Showcase Our Strengths ...................................36 packages assisting those most affected. Western Sydney Aerotropolis and new Western At the time of writing in late 2020, the visitor Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) • Strategic Pillar 4. Invest in World-Class Events ......................... 44 economy of NSW is deep in crisis and the roadmap Airport. These assets, when completed in the to 2030 is neither linear nor tracking as originally next few years, will transform the visitor economy • Strategic Pillar 5. Facilitate Growth .................................................46 expected. This new and uncertain world requires a of Western Sydney, becoming a drawcard for fresh, new strategy to aid recovery in the near term visitors to NSW and a major source of visitor Focus on Outcomes .........................................................................................50 and turbocharge visitor economy growth when economy jobs. travel patterns resume their normal rhythm. Despite the current challenges, the future is bright Optimism for the Future ................................................................................53 The new Visitor Economy Strategy for 2030 for the NSW visitor economy and this strategy will has been developed against this background. be a key enabler of its recovery and growth. The Appendix 1 - Delivering on the Strategy ................................................54 It is a considered yet ambitious plan to achieving investments we make and the actions we deliver the 2030 targets with a bold new vision for NSW particularly over the next three to four years will Appendix 2 - Domestic and International Markets Profile ..............66 to become the premier visitor economy of the restore confidence in the visitor economy and set Asia Pacific. the course for a prosperous and vibrant future to Appendix 3 - Visitor Infrastructure Framework .................................68 2030 and beyond. These goals are both challenging and aspirational but entirely achievable if Government and industry On behalf of the NSW Government I would like to Destination NSW ...............................................................................................70 work together in a new spirit of partnership express my gratitude to the Board of Destination to chart a shared future. Key to this will be the NSW and the VEIAP 2030 Taskforce who have Destination Networks .......................................................................................71 establishment of a new Visitor Economy Senior helped shape this new strategy as well as the Officers Group which will be led by Destination many stakeholders in Government and industry NSW to ensure the visitor economy is central to who have contributed to its development. decision making within government and that it grows in a coordinated and sustainable way. Stuart Ayres Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Naru Beach, Lake Macquarie NSW VISITOR ECONOMY STRATEGY 2030 6 7 ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COUNTRY We pay respect to the Traditional Custodians of the land we now call New South Wales and acknowledge their enduring culture and continued connection to Country. We extend our respect to Elders, past We acknowledge visitors from across We acknowledge the significant and present, and acknowledge future Australia and around the world are contribution made by Aboriginal generations of Aboriginal people. made welcome on Aboriginal lands people to the development and by the Traditional Custodians of NSW. promotion of the visitor economy. Barkindji People, Wilcannia NSW VISITOR ECONOMY STRATEGY 2030 8 9 HIGHLIGHTS > NSW aims to be the premier visitor > The strategy is flexible and principles economy of the Asia Pacific by 2030. based. It puts visitors first, accelerates digital innovation, focuses on our > The target for 2030 is $65 billion in competitive strengths, fosters total visitor expenditure. collaboration and will be delivered with agility. > Regional NSW is key to the future contributing $25 billion to the total. > The five core strategic pillars are Road to recovery, Build the brand, Showcase > The day trip market, worth an estimated our strengths, Invest in world-class $10 billion by 2030, is a new focus. events, and Facilitate growth. > The strategy has three phases – > Destination NSW will lead a coordinated, Recovery Phase to 2024, Momentum whole of government approach to Phase to 2026, Accelerate Phase to 2030. achieving the targets and vision. > The domestic market will be the > The strategy will deliver economic primary focus until international prosperity, create new jobs and enhance travel resumes. the lifestyles of the people of NSW. Kosciuszko National Park, Kosciuszko NSW VISITOR ECONOMY STRATEGY 2030 10 11 VISION FOR THE NSW VISITOR ECONOMY