From the shores of Bondi Beach to the iconic sails of the Opera House, Sydney is an urban gem brimming with unique sights and experiences waiting to be ticked off tourists’ bucket lists. Tourism is a key contributor to the city’s economy, with expenditure on food, accommodation, transportation, and tour services. In 2023,
skyrocketed, fueled by several large-scale events taking place across the quayside city and the resurgence of
following the pandemic.
How many tourists visit Sydney?
Over three million international tourists took a trip to Sydney in 2023, with the city topping the ranking as
the leading destination visited by international visitor arrivals to Australia. Likewise, Sydney is a popular port of call on domestic visitor’s trips, with over 25 million
domestic day visitors and around 10.8 million domestic overnight visitors recorded in New South Wales’ capital that same year. Western Sydney remains
the top precinct visited by domestic tourists in the city, followed by Darling Harbour, the Rocks, and Chinatown. The majority of domestic visitors to the harbor-side metropolis are solo travelers or adult couples, with family groups the least prevalent
travel party type in Sydney.
Popular tourist attractions in Sydney
Sydney boasts a wide variety of tourist attractions, including the globally famous Port Jackson, home to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and
Sydney Opera House, toured by around 180,000 people in 2023. Other beloved tourist sights in New South Wales’ capital encompass Bondi Beach, Sydney Tower Eye, the city’s tallest point offering 360-degree views of downtown Sydney and its waterfront, the heritage-listed
Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens, and Luna Park. The numerous museums, galleries, performing arts venues, parks, beaches, and social media popularized food establishments scattered throughout the metropolis also attract visitors.
From festivals to football fields
While these sights stand firmly as a consistent part of Sydney’s tourism landscape, many reoccurring or one-off events also draw visitors to the city. In 2023, Sydney hosted various major events, such as
Vivid Sydney, an annual festival celebrating creativity and innovation,
Sydney WorldPride, with an attendance of over one million,
Bondi Festival, and 11
Sydney-held Women’s FIFA World Cup matches, attended by over 600,000 soccer fans. Additionally, despite its short stop in the city in February 2024,
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour made a substantial mark on Sydney’s visitor economy, drawing in intrastate, interstate, and even some overseas visitors. Many tourism and hospitality operators across the city reported a strong boost in demand and revenue during these events due to surges in unique visitors, with
elevated occupancy rates at hotels and other travel accommodations, as well as increased sales at food service establishments. These occasions not only enhanced Sydney’s tourism sector in 2023 but continue to have an enduring effect on the future of the city’s tourism landscape, income, and visitation.
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