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New South Wales (NSW) Tourism has rolled out a bold roadmap to target the South Korean market in 2026. Moving beyond simple Sydney stopovers, the campaign leans into Koreans’ appetite for experience-driven getaways.
At a PR media event on the morning of the 17th at Up to Me in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Jennifer Tung, NSW Tourism’s Northeast Asia director, unveiled the vision for infrastructure innovation in 2026 alongside record growth numbers for the Korean market.
South Korea ranks 4th globally in visitor spending; nights stayed jump 29%
The presentation named South Korea one of NSW’s fastest-growing international markets.
As of last September, 283,800 visitors from South Korea came to NSW, a 2.8% increase year over year. More striking was the lift in trip depth.
Spending by Korean visitors reached A$826.9 million (about US$577.4 million; about ₩871.1 billion (approximately US$653.3 million)), and total nights stayed surged to 4.9 million—a 29.2% rise from the previous year.
Those figures put South Korea fourth out of NSW’s 13 international markets for both visitor spend and nights stayed.
Jennifer Tung described South Korea as “a market with very high potential,” noting that 82% of visitors travel purely for leisure. She added that Korean travelers favor active, hands-on experiences—whether it’s climbing the Harbour Bridge or joining behind-the-scenes tours—rather than passive sightseeing.
Sydney: a city of events — locking in demand with 2026 mega-events
Kim Hee-jung, director of NSW Tourism’s Korea office, unveiled a 2026 festival lineup designed to match Korean vacation trends.
This spring brings the outdoor Handa Opera from March 27 to May 3, followed by Vivid Sydney starting May 22, when the city is transformed by light installations and creative experiences.
On August 30, the Sydney Marathon—now ranked among the world’s top seven marathons—will attract runners worldwide. The year will cap off with a world-class New Year’s Eve fireworks spectacle in late December.
Kim emphasized that Sydney “brims with events and festivals of every scale,” and said the diverse calendar, which appeals across generations, will help grow demand for premium travel.
Western Sydney Airport set to open in late 2026 — 24/7 connectivity to reshape travel
Infrastructure upgrades were another focal point of the roadshow.
Western Sydney Airport, set to open at the end of 2026, is poised to be a turning point for Sydney tourism.
Operating 24/7 with no curfew, the airport will make long-haul travel more accessible—an obvious benefit for visitors from South Korea and other distant markets.
Commercial amenities are expanding too. In January, the Sydney Fish Market reopened after more than doubling in size and can now handle over 6 million visitors annually.
On the accommodation front, NSW is beefing up its premium hotel lineup to meet higher expectations from Korean travelers, with names like Capella Sydney (ranked 12th globally), W Sydney and The Eve joining the roster.
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