While talking to TTG at Australian Tourism Exchange 2016 (ATE) in the Gold Coast, Queensland, on Monday, Chipchase highlighted the new conventions and exhibition centre, which will be complete at the end of the year; the developing Barangaroo precinct, situated adjacent to Darling Harbour; the redevelopment of the city’s fish markets; an upgrade to Circular Quay; major hotel developments and redevelopments; and a new light rail service through the city’s CBD (central business district), which will be finished by the end of next year.
“Sydney and the state of New South Wales have had a stellar 2015,” she said. “We’re still number one for visitor nights and expenditure [in Australia], and we’re set to have a bumper 2016.”
Chipchase said the tourism board is keen to dispel the myth that Sydney is secondary to Melbourne when it comes to arts and culture.
“Visitors think it’s just the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Sydney Opera House and Bondi, but there’s so much more going on in the city,” she explained. “The live music scene is incredible and there’s shopping and funky bars. We’re edgier than Melbourne [and] we’re trying to push that message out there.”
Chipchase called Sydney the “creative services hub” of Australia and said the ever-evolving city has changed drastically, with more to offer the visitor.
“Visitors will come back and see a very different city – it’s changed immensely in the last five years. There are so many new things to see and do. The inner city suburbs have just exploded and the city is becoming more pedestrian friendly.”
Though perennially popular with the backpacker market, Chipchase noted an increase in regional food and wine tourism and an increasing number of more affluent travellers.
“We’ve seen a big rise in food and wine travel,” she said. “People are heading to the Hunter Valley, Orange and Mudgee, and we’re also seeing a lot [of visitors] at the luxury end because of the high end experiences people can have here.”
