Destination NSW hosted a Focus On NSW event this week, highlighting the state’s visitor experiences to buyers from high-value markets including United Kingdom, France, Germany, United States, Canada and New Zealand.
The trade event was held on 16 March 2026 at the InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach and attracted 30 travel wholesalers and retail agents, alongside 30 NSW businesses and tourism groups.
NSW visitor experiences, accommodation and destinations were showcased through an appointment-based B2B workshop, a networking function and a familiarisation program in Sydney and regional NSW. Destination NSW supported five businesses to attend the workshop through its New Market Product Pathway program.
The event also included a spotlight on Aboriginal tourism, with Destination NSW supporting two NSW Aboriginal businesses – Explore Byron Bay and Tribal Warrior Aboriginal Corporation – to attend the workshop, followed by a networking function at the Sydney Opera House that celebrated Aboriginal culture, knowledge and native ingredients. The dinner featured a menu curated by Dwyane Bannon-Harrison, owner of Aboriginal culinary company Murritya Mundya.
Tourism Research Australia data shows NSW welcomed four million international visitors in the year ending September 2025, who stayed 104.2 million nights and spent $14 billion in the state.
The US was the second largest international visitor market for the state during the period and is now a billion-dollar visitor market for NSW, with expenditure rising 16 per cent year-on-year.
Visitation from Canada rose 7.4 per cent in the year ending September 2025, to 97,100, while expenditure rose 7.1 per cent to $189.7 million.
New Zealand continues to be a top three market for NSW, with the opening of Western Sydney Airport in October expected to turbocharge visitation from across the Tasman. Air New Zealand is preparing to launch an international route into Western Sydney, supported by the NSW Government through the Western Sydney International Take-Off Fund.
UK visitors injected $869.4 million into the NSW visitor economy in the year ending September 2025, up 10 per cent year-on-year and the highest on record. Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows visitation to the UK skyrocketed in December to become state’s second biggest international market in December, boosted by thousands of cricket fans arriving for the Ashes Tests.
France and Germany are also strong markets for NSW. French visitor expenditure surged by more than 28 per cent in the year ending September 2025, while Germany was one of the state’s fastest-growing markets during the period, with visitation rising 6 per cent year on year.
“NSW’s strength lies in our depth and breadth of options – we have picturesque beaches, breathtaking outback, the country’s only true global city and everything in between,” Destination NSW CEO Karen Jones said.
“We’re positioning NSW as a premier global destination and we’re focused on creating unforgettable experiences and encouraging people to stay longer and come back again.
“Our role at Destination NSW is to make it easy for key distribution partners to attract visitors to NSW through coordinated marketing, airline partnerships, buyer support and PR amplification. Events such as Focus on NSW are an opportunity to deepen our connections in these markets and grow tourism to NSW.”
NSW businesses in attendance at the Focus on NSW event were:
• Arajilla Lord Howe Island
• Art Gallery of New South Wales
• BridgeClimb Sydney
• Brighton Coach & Tours
• Captain Cook Cruises/SeaLink Marine and Tourism
• Crown Towers Sydney
• Crystalbrook Collection
• Destination Port Stephens
• Explore Byron Bay
• Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism Association
• Journey Beyond
• Let’s Go Surfing – Australia
• Local Sauce Tours
• Localing
• Luxico
• Newy Tour Co
• Osborn House
• Outback Beds Tours
• Pearls of Australia
• Printhie Wines
• Reflections Holidays/Wilderluxe
• Salter Brothers Hospitality
• Sydney Bespoke Tours
• Sydney Fish Market
• Sydney Harbour Boat Tours
• Sydney Melbourne Touring
• Sydney Opera House
• TFE Hotels
• The Rocks Walking Tours
• The Tweed
• The Tweed/Hinterland Collection
• Tribal Warrior Aboriginal Corporation
