NSW Visitor Economy generates $52.9 billion in expenditure

NSW is celebrating another record-breaking year for its visitor economy, with total visitor expenditure reaching a new high of $52.9 billion with the state achieving the status of Australia’s top destination for international visitors, visitor nights and expenditure for the year ending June 2024.

Tourism Research Australia (TRA) data for the period shows NSW recorded the largest increase nationally for international visitors, nights and expenditure.

Both international visitor nights and expenditure have exceeded pre-pandemic levels, with spending soaring to a record $12.2 billion during the period. 

International visitor spending rose to $11.1 billion in Sydney and $1.2 billion in regional NSW, surpassing expenditure during the same period in 2019. 

There were 3.7 million international visitors to NSW in the year ending June 2024 (up 35.6%), who stayed 99.1 million nights (up 46.2%) and spent $12.2 billion (up 41.9%). 

The top three international source markets to NSW were the United States, New Zealand and China. 

Regional NSW welcomed 0.7 million international visitors, who stayed 17.1 million nights. 

There were 101.6 million domestic and international visitors to NSW in the year ending June 2024.

Sydney was the number one Australian capital city for visitors, visitor nights and expenditure. It received 37.5 million international and domestic visitors who spent $26.8 billion across the period, an increase of 20% since the year ending June 2019.

Regional NSW was the most popular destination across regional Australia in the year ending June 2024, with 65.4 million international and domestic visitors. 

Welcoming the data, Destination NSW Chief Executive, Steve Cox stated “NSW continues to break its own records for visitor economy growth and Destination NSW has a laser focus on leveraging the state’s strengths to fast-track the return of international visitation to 2019 levels.

“The state offers diverse and compelling destinations and experiences that inspire, amaze and revitalise visitors, providing lasting memories that encourage them to return again and again.

“Destination NSW is committed to providing visitor economy businesses with the training and support they need to grow sustainably which will ensure NSW continues to be the tourism powerhouse of the Asia Pacific.”

Key Findings

• NSW welcomed 37.1 million domestic overnight visitors (up 2.6%), who stayed 117 million nights (up 1.8%) and spent $30.7 billion (up 1.5%). 

• In the year ending June 2024, there were 15.7 million domestic overnight visitors to NSW who engaged in nature and outdoor based activities during their trip. This was up 4.3% on the previous year.

• Domestic overnight conference visitors to NSW spent on average $548 per night, which was 139.7% higher than domestic leisure visitors spend per night ($228).  

• Western Sydney accounted for more than one in five domestic overnight visitors to Sydney (20.3%) in the year ending June 2024.

• Western Sydney welcomed a total of 2.2 million domestic overnight visitors in the year ending June 2024 (up 4.9% on the previous year). They stayed 6.1 million nights and spent $1.4 billion (an increase of 13.7% and 14.6%, respectively, on the previous year).

• In the year ending June 2024, a total of 801,900 international and domestic overnight visitors participated in an Aboriginal tourism experience in NSW. These visitors stayed 20 million nights, contributing $3.2 billion in visitor expenditure.

• 289,400 domestic overnight visitors (up 15.2% on YE June 2023) participated in an Aboriginal tourism experience across NSW who stayed 1.1 million nights (up 21.6%) and contributed $498.8 million in visitor expenditure (up 14.8%).

• 512,500 international visitors participated in an Aboriginal tourism experience across NSW (up 39.3% on YE June 2019) who stayed 18.9 million nights (up 42.8%) and contributed $2.7 billion in visitor expenditure (up 63.7%).  

Images courtesy of Destination NSW.