“To travel is to evolve.”
– Pierre Bernardo, American graphic designer and comedian
If you were visiting from another planet, you could be forgiven for being unaware that our world shut down for two years from 2020 until 2022, with no leisure travel between countries.
Festivals and events were cancelled; businesses put on hold; and planes, buses and limos parked indefinitely.
While some businesses of course did not survive, just two years later, tourism visitation and spending has surpassed pre-pandemic levels.
NSW is the leading tourism state, with Western Sydney a growing magnet, soon to be its epicentre.
According to Destination NSW (DNSW) figures, in the year ending September 2024, NSW welcomed 96.8 million domestic visitors who spent $40.8 billion in the state. Domestic overnight visitors stayed 115.5 million nights.
NSW also welcomed 3.7 million international visitors, who stayed 98.5 million nights and spent $12 billion in the state.
DNSW aims to grow the tourism economy from the current $50 billion to more than $90 billion by 2036.
Breaking records
Tourism Research Australia (TRA) data for the year ending June 2024 shows that NSW also recorded the largest increase nationally for international visitors, nights and expenditure.
International visitor nights and expenditure exceeded pre-pandemic levels, with spending soaring to a record $12.2 billion during the period.
International visitor spending rose to $11.1 billion in Sydney and $1.2 billion in regional NSW, surpassing expenditure during the same period in 2019.
NSW was Australia’s top destination for international visitors, visitor nights and expenditure during the period.
There were 3.7 million international visitors to NSW in the year ending June 2024 (up 35.6 per cent), who stayed 99.1 million nights (up 46.2 per cent) and spent $12.2 billion (up 41.9 per cent).
The top three international source markets to NSW were the US, New Zealand and China.
Regional NSW welcomed 0.7 million international visitors, who stayed 17.1 million nights.
There were 101.6 million domestic and international visitors to NSW in the year ending June 2024.
Sydney was the number one Australian capital city for visitors, visitor nights and expenditure. It received 37.5 million international and domestic visitors who spent $26.8 billion across the period, an increase of 20 per cent since the year ending June 2019.
Regional NSW was the most popular destination across regional Australia in the year ending June 2024, with 65.4 million international and domestic visitors.
Fast facts about year ending June 2024 (*Tourism Research Australia)
- Visitors spent $26.1 billion in regional NSW
- NSW welcomed 37.1 million domestic overnight visitors (up 2.6 per cent), who stayed 117 million nights (up 1.8 per cent) and spent $30.7 billion (up 1.5 per cent)
- There were 15.7 million domestic overnight visitors to NSW who engaged in nature and outdoor based activities during their trip (up 4.3 per cent on the previous year)
- Domestic overnight conference visitors to NSW spent on average $548 per night, which was 139.7 per cent higher than domestic leisure visitors spend per night ($228)
- Western Sydney accounted for more than one in five domestic overnight visitors to Sydney (20.3 per cent)
- Western Sydney welcomed 2.2 million domestic overnight visitors (up 4.9 per cent on the previous year). They stayed 6.1 million nights and spent $1.4 billion (an increase of 13.7 per cent and 14.6 per cent, respectively, on the previous year).
- 801,900 international and domestic overnight visitors participated in an Aboriginal tourism experience in NSW. They stayed 20 million nights, contributing $3.2 billion in visitor expenditure.
- 289,400 domestic overnight visitors (up 15.2 per cent on YE June 2023) participated in an Aboriginal tourism experience across NSW who stayed 1.1 million nights (up 21.6 per cent) and contributed $498.8 million in visitor expenditure (up 14.8 per cent).
- 512,500 international visitors participated in an Aboriginal tourism experience across NSW (up 39.3 per cent on YE June 2019) who stayed 18.9 million nights (up 42.8 per cent) and contributed $2.7 billion in visitor expenditure (up 63.7 per cent).
Western Sydney International Airport
New airport a gamechanger
Australia’s first greenfield international airport in 70 years, @Western Sydney International Airport, will open in December 2026.
When that happens, Western Sydney’s visitation could potentially more than quadruple overnight.
The region welcomed 2.2 million domestic overnight visitors in the year ending June 2024.
WSIA will have initial capacity for 10 million passenger movements.
By 2026, it’s expected to be Australia’s busiest airport with 82 million passenger movements – comparable to Dubai, Hong Kong and New York’s JFK today.
So how does Australia’s first indoor snow resort fit into all that? What will it contribute to the Western Sydney, NSW and Australian tourism landscape?
Winter Sports World
Beginners Ski Run
If Winter Sports World is located between Australia’s number one tourism capital city (Sydney) and its most popular regional destination and will be the closest major attraction to the country’s newest, biggest international airport . . . we can expect an exciting future.
Based on independently primary market research figures, our “giant Esky” is conservatively predicted to attract 1.38 million visitors a year.
The research of sample areas of Sydney, regional NSW, Southeast Queensland and Victoria only considered the permanent domestic population most likely to visit.
It did not factor “likely" visitors, the 4 million tourists a year who pass through the area to the world-famous Blue Mountains, international tourists, Western Sydney International Airport opening in 2026 or professional athletes.
Winter Sports World will be the closest major attraction – just 12 kilometres away – from it and the initial 10 million passengers expected to flow into the country annually.
These travellers will come from high-volume, high value markets like India, Singapore, Korea, and China, all eager for thrilling attractions and unforgettable experiences . . . and they already love snow.
So, who will be our visitors?
- International overnight stay visitors staying at least one night in region
- International daytrippers on organised tours
- Interstate visitors
- Domestic visitors from around Sydney & NSW
- Schools, community groups, corporates and professional winter sports athletes training
- Local residents
Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said at the time of the June 2024 figures release: “Our state has an incredible depth and breadth of unique experiences that visitors love telling their friends and family about.”
Winter Sports World will take that depth of experience and global attention to a new level, elevating Penrith, Western Sydney, NSW and Australia with it.
It’s a great time to be in tourism business, and I can’t wait to welcome visitors from around the globe when Winter Sports World opens in mid 2028.