Australia – Destination NSW has teamed up with CommBank in a major new initiative to drive the growth of the state’s visitor economy using real-time consumer spending insights.
The collaboration, announced today, will provide Destination NSW and its regional Destination Network partners access to Destination iQ, a platform powered by de-identified transaction data from millions of purchases across the state. This tool will help track and analyse aggregated visitor spending patterns by location and time, offering unprecedented visibility into traveller behaviour.
The partnership will utilise CommBank iQ, a joint venture between Commonwealth Bank and analytics firm Quantium, which brings its proprietary data set and data science expertise to the table. The insights will complement existing research from Tourism Research Australia by delivering more granular, localised, and timely data to help shape tourism strategies across NSW.
The initiative is expected to support key decision-making in marketing, infrastructure planning, and investment attraction, while also allowing tourism operators to spot emerging trends and fine-tune their offerings accordingly.
“This partnership with CommBank iQ gives us a new level of insight into visitor behaviour, helping Destination NSW and our partners across Greater Sydney and regional NSW make faster, smarter decisions,” said Destination NSW CEO Karen Jones. “It’s a practical step forward in supporting businesses, attracting investment, and driving toward our ambitious 2035 target.”
Regular data-driven reports will also be published on Destination NSW’s corporate website as part of the initiative, giving industry stakeholders access to timely information on visitor demographics, origin, and spending habits.
The move aligns with a key recommendation from the recent review of the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy, which highlighted the importance of faster and more detailed data in keeping the state competitive on the global tourism stage.
CommBank iQ CEO Makenna Ralston said the partnership would help empower tourism decision-makers. “CommBank iQ’s unparalleled insights into visitor behaviour, combined with our deep analytical and data science expertise, will help attract more visitors to the state and drive economic outcomes for both Greater Sydney and regional NSW,” she said.
John O’Neil, chair of Destination North Coast, welcomed the partnership, calling it a valuable tool for tourism businesses across the state. “In a rapidly evolving market, timely and accurate data is critical. This collaboration will equip stakeholders with powerful insights to keep their experiences consumer-focused and globally competitive,” he said.
NSW is divided into seven Destination Networks, which work closely with local councils and tourism operators to grow regional economies. With access to richer data, these networks are expected to gain a sharper edge in promoting their destinations and enhancing visitor experiences.
