NSW Visitor Numbers on the improve ….

The latest official tourism statistics for both international and domestic visitation, recently released, showed strong improvement in the visitor numbers for NSW.

The September 2010 International Visitor Survey (IVS) reported that international visitors to NSW grew by some 9% for the September 2010 quarter compared to the same period last year and has helped result in an increase of 7 % for the year ended September 2010 in NSW.

The main drivers look to be the holiday market (up 6%) helped by a strong working holiday maker segment and some stronger numbers from the business market. Best performing source countries for NSW were New Zealand (up 9% and still our number one visitor market), China (up 19% and surprisingly NSW’s number one market in terms of visitor nights!), Korea (up 14%) and the USA (up 8%, despite the exchange rates). The main challenge is still the UK market (down 4%, the third consecutive year of decline).

At a domestic level again NSW has seen considerable improvement in the September 2010 quarter, with some 9.5% growth compared to the September quarter 2009 period and a year ended September 2010 increase of 5.3% over the previous year (much better than the national average of 2.7%.

Again it’s a story of two parts – regional NSW has seen some growth for the first time in a long while and that’s been mainly driven by growth in the Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) segment. Sydney saw visitor growth of 8% for the 12 months to September 2010 by driven more by the holiday and business segments.

For more information go onto the Tourism Research Australia website for a full copy of the latest reports or the Tourism NSW corporate website for a range of statistical snapshots.

The Oprah Show moves on …

We have just witnessed an extraordinary week for tourism in Sydney, NSW and Australia. Oprah Winfrey and her entourage have now left Sydney after generating a level of interest and international PR for Australia that’s not been seen since the Sydney Olympic Games.

With great weather, a very friendly Australian welcome and some significant work by both the tourism industry and Government, the event went off without a hitch. The total return on the government’s and tourism industry’s investment into the event won’t be fully known until after the show is aired to some 145 countries across the globe early in the new year. However, there is little doubt that this initiative will generate the level and type of endorsement that Australia just couldn’t afford with straight commercial advertising.

The next challenge is to leverage this exposure for all its worth!

Congratulations must go to Tourism Australia for leading this initiative but also to Tourism NSW and the NSW government for backing the opportunity all the way.

NSW Tourism Awards 2010 an outstanding success …

In late November TICNSW staged another very successful  NSW Tourism Awards for Business Excellence. It was the 21^st year of these awards and was held for the first time at what turned out to be a spectacular setting at Rosehill Gardens near Parramatta. This Gala night showcased the “best of the best” NSW tourism businesses and indicated the great strength and depth of the industry here in NSW.

See our website www.ticnsw.com.au for details on both the Finalists and Winners of these Awards, with the winners now going on to compete for the Australian Tourism Awards to be held in Perth in March 2011.

It is worth mentioning that there were two special Awards presented on the night to outstanding individuals in our industry. They were:

• Kathy Balodis– who received the Outstanding Contribution to Regional Tourism. She has been an exceptional contributor to tourism in her region of the Mid North Coast and a passionate advocate for regional tourism in the State. There was also a Special posthumous Award presented to Pixie O’Rourke. Many of you will have known Pixie as a pioneer and icon for tourism and its development on Lord Howe Island.
• Garry Crockett – who received the Award for the Outstanding Contribution by an Individual. With a long and distinguished business career, Garry is particularly known and recognized for his tireless and very successful efforts as the long standing President of the Hotel, Motel Accommodation Association.

NSW’s Election here we come …

Most would be aware that fairly recently TICNSW launched its “Going for Growth” – NSW Tourism Industry Policy document.

This policy document has been a valuable tool in our efforts to influence both the government and the opposition on the key needs of the tourism industry if it is to achieve its full potential in NSW (a copy of this policy document is on our website www.ticnsw.com.au ).

We have already had a number of meetings with many of the key players but as we move into the new year and the election looms such advocacy will become more important. Please take the opportunity to use the document as a way to discuss your tourism needs with your local political candidates and try to gain their understanding and support for what is a key industry in this state.

In this context, it is worth noting that Tourism NSW has also just released a draft copy of its “Tourism Towards 2000 NSW Tourism Industry Plan” for consultation (you can get a copy of this from their website at www.tourism.nsw.gov.au . Unfortunately they have provided very little time for any significant response with comments due back by 13 January 2011.

TICNSW will now review this new draft Plan against our “Going for Growth” document (which was based on strong industry input) over the next couple of weeks and if any member wants to provide me with comments I will incorporate them, where possible.

New TIC Council Board elected …

TICNSW conducted its AGM on 16 December 2010 which resulted in some changes to the Board. At this meeting we said thank you and farewell to a number of long standing Board members. Leaving the Board were:

• Jerry Bour (who resigned after 5 years service and most recently as Chairman of Judges for the NSW Tourism Awards)
• Robert Goldman (who resigned again after a long period on the Board and with a strong input from the hospitality side of the industry), and
• Mary Rayner ( Australia’s Reptile Park, representing the tourism attractions sector of the industry).

We also formally welcome two new members to the Board:

• Lorraine Duffy ( currently CEO of the Hotel, Motel Accommodation Association, and
• Randall Walker (currently Chairman of FORTO and also the Chair of Blue Mountains Tourism).

Thus the new TICNSW Board for 2011 is:

• Ken Corbett – Chairman
• Barry Baille – Deputy Chairman and CEO of the Caravan and Camping Industry Association
• John McKernan  - Secretary
• Simon Spellicy (Opera House)
• Dennis Winchester (Winchester & Associates)
• Rob Pollock (South Coast RTO Chair)
• Gary O’Riordan (ATEC)
• Sally Fielke (CEO, AHA NSW)
• Neville Deuis (Port Stephen Tourism)
• Lorraine Duffy (CEO, HMAA), and
• Randall Walker (Chair FORTO)

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year …

Finally, I want to say thank you for all your support in 2010 and have a happy and safe Christmas. We look forward to a prosperous 2011 for all the industry.

Best Regards
Geoff Buckley
General Manager
December 2010