NSW Day Trips Reach Record $16.2 Billion as Travellers Explore More of the State

Giant koala sculpture at the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary

Record Spending Shows the Power of the NSW Day Trip

Day trips across New South Wales are becoming an increasingly important part of the state’s tourism economy, with new Tourism Research Australia data revealing that domestic day trippers spent a record $16.2 billion in NSW in the year ending June 2026.

Day-trip expenditure surged 34 per cent compared with the previous year, while the number of day-trip visitors increased 7.3 per cent to 87.2 million.

The figures highlight a changing travel pattern, with Australians increasingly choosing shorter, more frequent getaways while spending more on experiences, dining, attractions and activities during each visit.

Regional NSW Benefits from the Day Trip Boom

The growth is particularly significant for regional NSW, where day visitors provide valuable economic support to tourism operators, hospitality businesses, attractions, retailers and local communities.

The three most popular day-trip destinations in NSW during the year ending June 2026 were the Hunter, North Coast and South Coast.

Destinations within approximately two hours of Sydney, together with major regional hubs, are well positioned to benefit from travellers looking for convenient escapes without the need for overnight accommodation.

For visitors, this creates an opportunity to discover wineries, national parks, beaches, wildlife attractions, historic towns, regional food and cultural experiences across NSW in a single day.

NSW Remains Australia's Leading Domestic Tourism State

Newcastle Beach

 NSW continued to rank number one nationally for domestic visitors, visitor nights and expenditure.

During the period, 126.4 million domestic visitors travelled to NSW, including 64 million visitors to regional NSW.

Overall, NSW welcomed 130.6 million domestic and international visitors, an increase of 5.1 per cent year-on-year. Visitors spent a record $62.9 billion in the state, up 12.8 per cent, and recorded 225.7 million nights.

The results demonstrate the continuing strength of NSW tourism and the importance of both Sydney and regional destinations to the state's visitor economy.

International Tourism Adds Further Momentum

NSW also remained Australia's most popular destination for international visitors, with international visitor expenditure increasing 14.5 per cent year-on-year to $15.1 billion.

Strong international growth included South Korea, with visitation 50 per cent above June 2019 levels, the Philippines up 36 per cent, Vietnam up 17 per cent and the United Kingdom up five per cent.

China also recorded strong growth in both international visitors and expenditure, further strengthening NSW's international tourism performance.

More Visitors, More Investment and More Experiences

Sydney

Tourism growth has been supported by an additional 634,465 airline seats and 1,253 new accommodation rooms across NSW in the year ending June 2026.

The NSW Government has set a target of $91 billion in visitor expenditure by 2035. The latest figures show the state has already achieved 69 per cent of that goal.

NSW is also on track to exceed its target of more than 101 million day-trip visitors by 2035, with 87.2 million already recorded in the year ending June 2026.

The results underline how powerful a simple day trip can be for the NSW visitor economy. Whether it is a family wildlife adventure, a country drive, a coastal escape, a food and wine experience or a cultural discovery, travelling closer to home is helping visitors discover more of New South Wales while delivering valuable economic benefits to local communities.

Destination NSW

Website: https://www.destinationnsw.com.au/
Tourism information: https://www.visitnsw.com/

Tourism Research Australia

Website: https://www.tra.gov.au/

For more travel inspiration read the daily online "The Holiday and Travel Magazine" https://theholidayandtravelmagazine.blogspot.com/