New South Wales Named Australia's Food Tourism Capital with $12 Billion Spend

Tourism Research Australia data released on 20 October 2026 confirmed that New South Wales is the country's leading food tourism destination. In 2025, the state welcomed 5.1 million domestic overnight visitors who listed food experiences as a primary motivation, spending $5.6 billion. International culinary visitors numbered 1.2 million and contributed a further $6.6 billion, bringing the total to more than $12 billion injected into the NSW economy through food tourism alone. Domestic travellers favoured fine dining (56 per cent), food markets (43 per cent), and farm tours (7 per cent), while international visitors prioritised local food markets (62 per cent), fine dining (53 per cent), and food festivals (12 per cent). NSW Tourism Minister Steve Kamper highlighted the figures as proof that food tourism boosts local businesses and communities right across the state. The data aligns with the state's Visitor Economy Strategy, which targets $91 billion in total annual visitor spending by 2035 and leans heavily on signature events such as Vivid Sydney and regional food festivals to build year-round demand. Nationally, 71 per cent of travellers surveyed in 2026 said they planned to include culinary experiences in their upcoming trips.