The “Visitor Economy Strategy 2035” launched by the Minns Labor Government outlines a roadmap to boost the visitor economy, with a target to generate $91 billion in annual visitor expenditure, more than 40,000 hotel rooms, 8.5 million new airline seats, and an additional 150,000 jobs by 2035.

Following consultation with more than 500 NSW stakeholders, the strategy will guide cross-government and industry collaboration, with five key pillars to accelerate growth:

• Making it easy for more people to visit by growing aviation capacity by 8.5 million seats, unlocking more than 40,000 new accommodation rooms and expanding the tourism workforce.
• Focusing on attracting visitors by elevating the NSW and Sydney brands through storytelling and data-led marketing, showcasing Sydney as a destination beyond well-known postcards.
• Driving growth through events by locking in a calendar of major sport, culture and business events to draw year-round visitors.
• Focusing on experiences by delivering immersive, high-quality and culturally rich visitor offerings across metro and regional NSW that highlight the state’s landscapes and produce.
• Leveraging data and insights by improving access to real-time data and consumer insights to enable agile decision-making across the sector.

“NSW is home to some of the world’s most vibrant destinations, experiences and events, but we can’t afford to stand still,” says NSW Premier Chris Minns.

“This strategy is about taking bold, coordinated action to ensure we continue to lead the nation and compete on the global stage.

“We’re backing our strengths and unlocking new opportunities across Sydney, western Sydney and regional NSW.

“This strategy charts a bold path to more jobs, stronger communities and a thriving visitor economy that benefits the people of NSW.”

The NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW, will lead the delivery of the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2035.

“NSW is already a powerhouse of the nation’s visitor economy, which is why the NSW Government has set an ambitious target of $91 billion in annual visitor expenditure by 2035,” says NSW Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper (pictured, at top).

“If we want to grow our visitor economy, we need to grow our capacity and we need to attract investment.

“This strategy will help us unlock opportunities and partner with the private sector to deliver an additional 8.5 million aviation seats, 40,400 new accommodation rooms, and 150,000 new jobs.

“The opening of Western Sydney International Airport and Newcastle Airport will be transformative for NSW, creating new pathways for global connection and visitation that will fuel growth in tourism, trade and investment.

“The new strategy ensures we’re ready to harness that growth from day one, and positions NSW to lead the next evolution of Australia’s visitor economy.”

The strategy includes a new staged growth path, with targets of $59 billion by 2026 and $71 billion by 2030.

“The release of the Visitor Economy Strategy is an exciting moment for businesses across NSW,” says Business NSW CEO Daniel Hunter.

“Having a clear pathway and intent to invest from the NSW Government will give businesses the confidence to continue investment in their own growth.”

As part of the strategy announcement, the NSW Government has committed to the development of a Statewide Aviation Strategy, expanding the state’s calendar of major events and investigating a new pathway to unlock major tourism investment.

The government is acting on these key pillars to help drive immediate momentum across the state’s visitor economy, with early initiatives including:

• Launching the $12.5 million NSW Take Off Fund and the $16 million Western Sydney International Take-Off Fund to secure more flights and grow the visitor economy across the state.
• Partnering with CommBank iQ to leverage consumer data to gain deeper insights into visitor behaviours and trends.
• Launching the “Feel New in Sydney” marketing campaign.
• Introducing extended trading hours and increasing the cap on concerts and major events to support the 24-hour economy.

“We welcome the NSW Government’s new commitment to improving brand awareness, attracting and securing world-class events, focusing on experiences and leveraging data to drive growth,” says NSW Tourism Association CEO Natalie Godward.

“What makes NSW unique is the diversity of our visitor economy, from family-run tourism businesses and passionate local guides, to world-class operators and iconic destinations.

“This strategy recognises the importance of every part of our state and provides a pathway for inclusive, sustainable growth.

“We look forward to working with government and our industry community to celebrate that diversity, attract more visitors and unlock new opportunities for all.”

Business Events Sydney welcomes the NSW Government’s commitment to events and growing the state’s visitor economy.

“We are thrilled to see the NSW Government’s commitment to driving growth through events,” says BESydney chair Professor Mary O’Kane AC.

“Business events are a multibillion-dollar global industry and a powerful catalyst for innovation.

“This strategy will help BESydney unlock new potential across the city, particularly with the opening of Western Sydney International Airport next year.”

The commitment to driving growth through events is particularly important to BESydney, highlighting the critical role of business events in providing growth opportunities.

BESydney CEO Amanda Lampe notes BESydney has already secured 66 events coming to Sydney in 2025, bringing in 46,000 delegates staying 174,000 delegate days and generating an estimated $213 million in direct expenditure to the NSW economy.

“As the state’s expert advisor on strategic business event acquisition, we look forward to working closely with the NSW Government, Destination NSW and the local business events ecosystem to achieve these ambitious goals,” she says.

“The majority of the delegates attending the events we attract are from overseas and visiting Sydney for the first time because of that conference.

“Beyond their tourism dollars, they contribute to our knowledge economy – sharing their expertise and learning from our local experts.

“They enter collaborations, they sign business deals and they invest here. Many also return later for further business, to study, or with their friends and family on holidays.”

Photo at top (credit): Destination NSW.