Let’s face it: it’s been a tough year on the cost-of-living front. But sky-high rent and the ever-increasing cost of a cup of coffee aside, there is one (almost) up-side to Sydneysiders being strapped for cash. This year, NSW has recorded its highest-ever visitor expenditure, as Aussies are choosing to holiday at home instead of splashing out on a trip overseas (though if you’re considering the latter, Etihad has just dropped a huge flash sale).
At Time Out Sydney, we might be a little biased (shining a light on the very best of what NSW has to offer is our bread and butter), but we’re of the opinion that our state is home to the most stunning holiday spots on earth. According to the figures, the rest of the world agrees: with NSW (and Sydney specifically) ranking as Australia’s leading destination for both domestic and international visitors in 2024.
A recently-released report from Tourism Research Australia confirmed that NSW was the favourite destination for travellers in 2024, with domestic and international travellers spending a combined total of $53.2 billion across the state. International visitation to the state grew 11.1 per cent year-on-year in 2024 (to 3.8 million visitors), and those international visitors were big spenders, with expenditure totalling $12 billion (up 10.7 per cent from 2023).
Domestic overnight visitors were up too, with 37.5 million Aussies staying overnight somewhere in NSW in 2024. And though the cost of living crisis is hitting Australians hard, we still splashed out on our NSW holidays, with domestic expenditure up 2.7 per cent compared with 2023, totalling $41.2 billion, including $15.9 billion in Sydney alone.
Wondering which hotspots the visitors were hitting up? The North Coast (including the Northern Rivers region) recorded the largest increase in regional visitation, with visitor numbers rising 11.1 per cent to 6.3 million. The Snowy Mountains and Blue Mountains also recorded significant growth in visitor numbers, seeing the strongest year-on-year growth in regional occupancy rates (up 8.9 per cent and 7.2 per cent, respectively).
NSW was also Australia’s leading destination for Aboriginal tourism in 2024, with international visitor participation in Indigenous-led tourism initiatives up by 43.9 per cent compared with 2019. Our stunning state was also the favourite Aussie destination for caravan and camping holidays, with 5 million domestic overnight visitors to camp sites across NSW.
Keen to explore the state? These are the destinations on the Time Out Sydney team’s bucket lists for 2025.
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