To keep in touch about the range of programs Destination NSW offers, please submit your details via the Contact Us page with a Grants and Funding enquiry type and you will be added to the Grants and Funding database.
NSW Aviation Attraction Fund
The Aviation Attraction Fund closed on 30 June 2023.
The Aviation Attraction Fund was created to accelerate NSW’s Road to Recovery, by building aviation capacity to the state through securing routes to drive significant economic and social benefits.
The fund was open to all domestic and international airlines servicing the state or planning to service the state.
The Aviation Attraction Fund included the following three streams:
- Stream 1 - Sydney International Route Support
Targeted and new airlines operating international routes into Sydney were eligible to apply, with opportunities assessed based on Business Case and alignment to Fund criteria. All applications were required to be supported and jointly funded by Sydney Airport. - Stream 2 - Regional NSW Domestic and International Route Support
This was a contestable fund open to all international and domestic routes servicing NSW. Routes were assessed on the Business Case and alignment to Fund criteria. All applications for this stream were required to be supported and jointly funded by a regional NSW airport. - Stream 3 - NSW Contestable Fund
This was a contestable fund to supplement or fund opportunities that did not qualify for stream 1 or 2. All applications were assessed based on the Business Case and alignment to Destination NSW criteria. Airlines applying for funding in this stream were required to match funding (cash or value in kind), either directly from the airline or through the airline’s trade partners.
Find out more about the Aviation Attraction Fund.
Nature-Based Visitor Experience Development Grants
Visitor economy businesses seeking to develop regional nature-based experiences may be eligible for a share in $3.5 million to support project expenses.
Destination NSW is making available dollar-for-dollar matched grants from $100,000 up to $250,000 to businesses in regional NSW to grow NSW’s visitor economy.
Eligible applicants include tour, attraction and accommodation providers and landholders.
The program has been developed in line with NSW Government strategies, including the Destination Network Destination Management Plans, to address key opportunities and actions.
Applications for the grants are open from Monday 27 March 2023 until 11.59pm AEST Monday 22 May 2023.
Find out more and apply for a Nature-Based Visitor Experience Development grant.
NSW Regional Business Event Development Fund
The NSW Regional Business Event Development Fund is designed to help stakeholders create, attract and support exciting business events for regional NSW and to support new business event initiatives. The Fund aims to enrich these business events with opportunities offered by iconic towns and regions, while helping secure successful conferences and events for their future.
Find out more about the NSW Regional Business Event Development Fund on the
Meet in Regional NSW website.
Regional Event Fund
The Regional Event Fund identifies and supports events in regional NSW that have the potential to act as ‘cornerstone’ or flagship tourism events for their area by attracting overnight visitation and delivering long-term benefits to the region.
Since it was established in 1996, the Fund has supported more than 440 individual events across regional NSW.
Find out more about the Regional Event Fund.
Cooperative Marketing Program
Destination NSW will allocate $2 million to a Cooperative Marketing Program for activity that leverages the new ‘Feel New’ Visitor Brand to drive demand, increase exposure and ensure NSW destinations and experiences are top-of-mind between March and June 2022. The Cooperative Marketing Program will enable eligible tourism organisations, local governments and tourism-related businesses to buy into Destination NSW-led promotional activity packages under the NSW Visitor Brand at subsidised rates.
The program takes into consideration the cash constraints being experienced by visitor economy stakeholders as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased pressure on their marketing resources to generate immediate visitation and future sustainability.
Find out more about our Cooperative Marketing Program on the Feel New Visitor Brand page.
Tourism Support Package
The NSW Government has launched a tourism support program designed to encourage people back into the Sydney CBD, re-ignite live music across the state, and support jobs in the accommodation, entertainment, business events and tourism sectors throughout NSW.
Find our more about the Tourism Support Package
Tourism Product Development Fund
The NSW Government announced $3.5 million in Nature-Based Visitor Experience Development grants is available in 2022-23 to support the development of new and enhanced nature-based tourism attractions and experiences in regional NSW.
This grant program is delivered under the Tourism Product Development Fund, and there are no other streams of the Fund open at this time. Follow Destination NSW for future updates.
Destination NSW: Regional Tourism Fund
Two streams of funding were available through the Regional Tourism Fund between 2016-2019; the Regional Cooperative Tourism Marketing Program and the Regional Tourism Product Development Program.
See a list of successful projects: Regional Tourism Fund.
Destination NSW: Regional Visitor Economy Fund (RVEF)
The Regional Visitor Economy Fund (RVEF) was launched in May 2013 to address a range of issues affecting tourism to regional NSW identified in the NSW Government’s Visitor Economy Industry Action Plan (December 2012).
See a list of successful projects: RVEF Contestable Fund | RVEF Quarantined Fund
Tourism Research Australia: Destination Visitor Survey Program (DVS)
Tourism Research Australia provides research information that supports improved decision making, marketing and tourism industry performance for the Australian community. The aim of the DVS Program is to provide the opportunity for regional tourism destinations to undertake research surveys specific to their area and assist informed decision making to support growth of sustainable tourism products. The research conducted within the DVS program is split into two streams: Visitor Profile and Satisfaction Program and Strategic Regional Research Program.
For more information go to tra.gov.au
