The Tourism & Transport Forum welcomes the release of the Visitor Economy Industry Action Plan 2030 by the New South Wales Government.

TTF CEO Margy Osmond said the Visitor Economy Industry Action Plan 2030 is a blueprint for tourism growth highlighting the importance of critical infrastructure, the role of cultural and nature-based tourism and bolstering the visitor experience as a whole journey.

“A new target of $45 billion in overnight visitor spend by 2025 and $55 billion by 2030 opens a wealth of opportunity for the tourism industry in New South Wales to go gangbusters,” Ms Osmond said.

“The iconic Sydney Harbour is the money shot that brings in domestic and international visitors. With the 2020 target on track, it’s time to dream big and tap into our potential.

“Increasing the foot traffic through rural and regional New South Wales will be crucial to the sector and the State, and to achieving the 2030 target.

“Tourism is a super growth sector for jobs and is key for our regions, but international visitors tend not to travel that far afield or stay overnight unless the proven power of destination marketing is targeted at the experiences on offer outside of the city centre of Sydney.

“I applaud the foresight of Minister Marshall to set a regional tourism target for New South Wales, which includes a focus on marketing campaigns, improved tourism infrastructure and more events being hosted in rural and regional New South Wales.

“I’m looking forward to the tourism industry working in tandem with government to get more people extending their Sydney experience, from enjoying a beer at the Tamworth Hotel, stopping for a heatherbrae pie on their road trip up the Coast, and attending major sporting events and musical concerts in the regions of New South Wales,” Ms Osmond said.