New South Wales leads Australia in food tourism spending

New South Wales has become Australia’s top destination for food tourism, with domestic and international culinary visitors injecting more than $12 billion into the state economy in 2025.

According to Tourism Research Australia, the state welcomed 5.1 million domestic overnight food tourists who spent $5.6 billion. International culinary tourism also saw significant growth, with 1.2 million visitors—a 5.7 per cent increase from the previous year—spending $6.6 billion, representing a 21 per cent rise in expenditure.

Culinary preferences varied between visitor groups. Domestic travelers most frequently engaged in fine dining (56 per cent), food markets (43 per cent), and farm tours (7 per cent). International visitors showed a strong preference for local food markets (62 per cent), followed by fine dining (53 per cent) and food festivals (12 per cent).

The economic impact supports businesses and employment across both Sydney and regional NSW, aligning with government targets to increase annual visitor expenditure.