NSW plots tourism future

NSW Tourism Minister Adam Marshall has kicked off a review of the state’s tourism potential, with the “blue sky” approach aiming to determine “what new ambitious targets we should set for NSW tourism beyond 2020”.

The initiative was revealed in a News Limited opinion piece from Marshall, with the project being led by an “independent taskforce of highly qualified and experienced industry players”.

Marshall said the tourism sector in NSW was growing by almost 10% annually, “but we cannot become complacent.

“Now is the perfect time, while we are at the top of our game, to pause, take stock and work out how we can grow the tourism sector in NSW even further, in all parts of the state,” he said.

The Minister said a recent trip to China highlighted how much potential there was for future growth, with millions more possible travellers looking for holiday destinations every year.

Currently just 5% of Chinese visitors to the state extend their trip beyond the metropolitan area, with a key focus of the review to unlock the potential of Western Sydney and rural and regional areas of the state.

Marshall also continued his rhetoric against the “frankly ridiculous” hourly caps on flights at Sydney Airport ( TD 10 Aug), saying regulation at SYD was already significantly inhibiting tourism growth in Australia.