NSW TOURISM INDUSTRY BREAKS RECORDS

New South Wales continues to lead the nation’s tourism industry with record-breaking economic contribution and employment across the sector.

New figures from Tourism Research Australia show domestic visitors to NSW contribute $29.4 billion and international visitors $13.1 billion to the economy with tourism the sixth largest employment industry in the state.

The data is contained in the State Tourism Satellite Account 2017-18 which reports on tourism consumption, tourism Gross State Product (GSP), tourism Gross Value Added (GVA) and tourism employment to measure the impact of the industry.

Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said tourism was clearly one of the State’s champion industries.

“The results show that NSW’s contribution to tourism in Australia is significant, and locally the industry has a huge impact on our economy,” Minister Ayres said.

“Tourism directly employs 182,900 people – equal to one in 22 jobs - in New South Wales, up almost 7,800 people on 2016-17.

“Visitors to NSW consumed $42.5 billion worth of goods and services, up 7 per cent on the previous year, and accounts for 30 per cent of Australia’s total tourism consumption.”

Tourism consumption refers to spending on transport, accommodation, shopping, food and drinks, tourism operators, recreation and education services.

Key results from the NSW State Tourism Satellite Account show that:

• NSW received its highest tourism consumption, tourism GSP, tourism GVA and tourism employment on record since 2006-07
• Domestic visitors contributed the most to NSW tourism consumption ($29.4 billion) while international visitors contributed $13.1 billion
• Tourism (direct and indirect) is the sixth largest industry for employment in NSW after health care and social assistance; professional, scientific and technical; construction; education; and training and manufacturing
• The total tourism GVA (the value of tourism-related industry output minus the cost to produce products/services) was $31.9 billion for 2017-18.

“These numbers are a clear demonstration that the NSW Government strategy to grow and support the visitor economy in NSW is bang on target,” Mr Ayres said.

*Destination NSW
www.destinationnsw.com.au/