The tourism sector has welcomed continued investment for Destination NSW, the arts and the night-time economy unveiled in today’s NSW State Budget, to help ensure the state remains a leading global tourism destination.

Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) Australia CEO Margy Osmond said it was pleasing to see support for festivals and other events, free museum entry and a wide range of arts and cultural institutions.

“Our arts, cultural and entertainment industries are the key driver of visitors to Sydney in particular, but also play a critical role in boosting tourism across the state,” Ms Osmond said.

“From the success of Vivid Sydney and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour to the Parkes Elvis Festival, we can’t underestimate the immense power of major art, music and sporting events to entice visitors from across Australia and overseas.”

“By investing in these sectors, the State Government is not only ensuring NSW remains a vibrant and lively place to visit, but is also supporting tourism operators, the jobs they provide and helping boost the NSW economy.”

Ms Osmond welcomed continued funding of $324.5 million for Destination NSW, to deliver events across Sydney and regional areas and help drive the refreshed Visitor Economy Strategy 2030.

“Through the review, TTF hopes to see continued investment into marketing NSW to the rest of Australia and the world, to ensure the NSW tourism industry can continue to recover and thrive in one of the most competitive international and domestic tourism markets we’ve ever seen,” she said.

She also urged the NSW Government to reinstate the Aviation Attraction Fund to increase the supply of visitors coming into NSW to help grow the overall economy.

“The NSW Aviation Attraction Fund has been absolutely critical to the industry’s recovery, and we would like to see it reinstated. The fund is not only important for attracting high-yield visitors to the state but also for injecting billions of dollars into the state’s economy, through trade and freight outcomes,” she said.

“As other states and countries actively work on their own respective aviation attraction funds, it’s vital NSW does not get left behind on boosting aviation capacity, which delivers economic benefits across Australia.”

Ms Osmond said it was fantastic to also see continued investment in public transport, including the Sydney Metro-Western Sydney Airport project, Paramatta Light Rail Stage 2, upgrades to the Tangara trains and Sydney Metro West.

“Our research shows more Australians are visiting precincts like Sydney’s CBD after-hours and on weekends than before the pandemic. We need to support this growing demand through investment in key public transport links, as well as tourism, major events, hospitality and entertainment,” she said.

She also welcomed the new Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport, which will formally come into effect from July, to help grow the creative industries, enable more people to pursue careers in arts, culture, entertainment and tourism, and deliver a renewed focus for our sector.