WORLD-CLASS TOURISM MARKETING MAKES NSW NUMBER ONE

World-class tourism marketing campaigns, attractions and events have pushed international visitor numbers to a record high in NSW, with 3.4 million overseas visitors spending $8.45 billion in 2015. NSW Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events Stuart Ayres said this week that the data shows the results of the NSW Government’s ongoing investment through Destination NSW in tourism and major events and promotion of NSW to attract even more international visitors.

“NSW has achieved its highest volumes of international visitors, number of nights stayed, and visitor expenditure on record, and as a result of our hard work we continue to see our great State attract far more visitors than our rivals,” Mr Ayres said. NSW achieved a significant increase in international visitors to 3.4 million (up 6.6 per cent), number of nights stayed rose to 85.8 million (up 12.9 per cent) and expenditure was up 19.2 per cent to $8.45 billion, according to the International Visitor Survey released by Tourism Research Australia today.

NSW leads Victoria by almost one million visitors, and nearly $2 billion in expenditure, and is ahead of Queensland by 1.1 million visitors, and $3.5 billion in spending.

Mr Ayres said the number of international visitors to Regional NSW again rose significantly with 689,700 visitors (up 8.5 per cent) staying 14 million nights (a rise of 15.1 per cent) and spending $914 million (up 30.2 per cent). “These results are fantastic as they represent the dollars that are being spent in our regions which in turn create jobs and provide an economic boost,” Mr Ayres added. Four regions posted significant growth in visitor numbers: North Coast (up 21,900 visitors or 8 per cent), South Coast (up 15,000 or 13.2 per cent), Blue Mountains (up 12,000 visitors or 13.3 per cent) and Riverina (up 5,500 or 29 per cent).