NSW tops nation for record-breaking international visitor spend as Vivid Sydney sets sights on 2026
Vivid Sydney 2026 will return from Friday May 22 to Saturday June 13, once again transforming the Harbour City through Light, Music, Ideas and Food.
New South Wales has reinforced its position as Australia’s tourism powerhouse, with record international visitor spending and stays, and Vivid Sydney continuing to shine as one of its brightest success stories.
New Tourism Research Australia figures show NSW welcomed 3.9 million international visitors in the year ending March 2025, up 5.4 percent year on year. Visitors stayed a record 102.2 million nights (up 7.3 percent) and spent an all-time high of $13.4 billion–more than any other state or territory.
Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper credited the state’s major events calendar and targeted investments in aviation and world-class experiences as key drivers.
“NSW continues to be Australia’s leading state for international tourism, receiving the highest number of visitors, visitor nights and expenditure. These results are testament to our great state’s diverse experiences, stunning natural landscapes and thriving cultural scene,” Mr Kamper said.
Sydney alone welcomed 3.6 million international visitors who spent $12.2 billion, while regional NSW saw international travel grow strongly, particularly through travellers visiting friends and relatives.
One standout was Vivid Sydney, which wrapped another hugely successful year in early June. Preliminary estimates suggest the Southern Hemisphere’s biggest multi-artform festival pushed total visitation since its inception in 2009 to over 25 million people, generating more than $1.3 billion for NSW’s visitor economy over its lifetime.
Vivid Artist – Spectaculaires SAS.
Highlights from the 2025 festival included four bumper Saturdays each drawing nearly 200,000 visitors, a doubling of businesses participating in the Vivid Sydney Local Business Program, and the popular Vivid Fire Kitchen drawing over 110,000 attendees. The festival’s global reach continues to soar, with #vividsydney content viewed more than 830 million times worldwide.
Vivid Sydney’s success has been a major win for the city’s accommodation sector, with occupancy rates during the peak festival weekends just shy of 90 percent – levels rarely seen outside the summer peak holiday period.
Accommodation Australia NSW General Manager Stacey McBride said: “Vivid Sydney has turned what was traditionally a quiet few weeks in winter into a boom period for our hotels. It’s a testament to the hard work of the NSW Government and Destination NSW.”
With its 2025 run now complete, Destination NSW is already looking ahead to an even bigger and bolder 2026. Vivid Sydney 2026 will return from Friday May 22 to Saturday June 13, once again transforming the Harbour City through Light, Music, Ideas and Food.
Expressions of interest are now open for artists, designers, performers, producers, chefs and thought leaders around the world to help shape next year’s program. Creatives are encouraged to submit their ideas to ensure Sydney’s streets, stages and venues come alive with cutting-edge creativity and immersive storytelling.
“The overwhelming response to Vivid Sydney 2025 sends a clear message that this festival remains a powerful driver of creativity, culture and economic impact,” Mr Kamper said.
“Vivid Sydney doesn’t just light up our streets – it solidifies Sydney’s standing as a leading global cultural capital and a must-experience destination in the Asia-Pacific.”
From large-scale light installations and live performances to thought-provoking talks and dining experiences, the festival’s 2026 edition promises to deliver more ways than ever for visitors to connect with Sydney’s stories and spirit.
The Sydney Childrens Hospitals Foundation. Artist – Mr Beam
For artists and organisations keen to be part of the magic, EOIs for Vivid Light close on July 28 2025, while EOIs for Ideas, Music, Food and Cross-Art Form programs close on September 26, 2025.
As Destination NSW CEO Karen Jones put it: “From Vivid Sydney to whale watching, fireside dining and our regional festivals, winter 2025 is on track to deliver extraordinary experiences across NSW – and we’re already laying the groundwork for an even brighter 2026.”
For more information on upcoming events, or to submit an Expression of Interest for Vivid Sydney 2026, visit vividsydney.com.
Mandy has over two decades of experience in accommodation and tourism industry writing, and she is also an accomplished editor and publisher. As co-Director of Multimedia Pty Ltd, a trusted B2B content provider for the accommodation and education sectors in Australia and New Zealand, she oversees high-quality print and digital content across notable publications, including AccomNews, Resort News, and School News, along with the property listing platform AccomProperties. Mandy’s contributions have been recognised with the Female Leader Award at the Best of Tourism 2023 and the ARAMA Life Member Award in 2024.