EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


In recent years the overall number of people, engaging in tourist activity, in Australia and in NSW, has declined. While the number of inbound tourists has slightly increased, the number of Australians, locally participating in tourist activity, has decreased (pp.16-20, 22)

The contribution of tourism, to the economy, has similarly decreased (pp.3-5)

There is a small, but significant, number of people engaged in tourism-related employment: particularly in certain regional areas of NSW (pp.5-8)

Overseas tourist visits to Australia (and NSW) have been increasing slightly, but Australia’s share of total overseas travel has been declining (pp.21-22)

Overseas tourists, while a much smaller proportion of tourist numbers in Australia, individually spend much more than domestic tourists (pp.10-11)

Events (in recent years) have been seen as a means to both boosting tourist activity overall and attracting increasing numbers of higher-spending overseas tourists ((pp.11-16)

John O’Neill (CEO of the Australian Rugby Union from 1995-2003) produced three reviews, earlier in 2008, with significant observations for events and tourism in NSW (pp.27-30)

The Rees government, in its mini-budget, has announced new funding initiatives for tourism in New South Wales (p.30)

Asian countries have the potential to become the source of a faster growing number of inbound tourists (pp.23-27)

Asian football popularity has the potential to enhance the success of a World Cup staged in Australia (pp.31-38)