About

Image credit: Destination NSW

Destination Sydney Surrounds South supports the growth and development of the visitor economy across Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama, Shoalhaven and Wingecarribee.

We work with tourism businesses, local councils, Destination NSW, industry groups and regional partners to help build a stronger, more connected visitor economy. Our role is to support the people, places and projects that help the region attract visitors, grow businesses, create jobs and strengthen local communities.

Our region is home to a diverse mix of coast, highlands, villages, events, food and drink, nature-based experiences, accommodation, attractions and visitor services. We help bring these strengths together through regional collaboration, industry development, advocacy and long-term destination planning.

The Sydney Surrounds South visitor economy delivered 6.6% of the region’s jobs, supports 6,295 businesses and directly delivers 4.0% ($1.3 billion) of the region’s Gross Value Add (GVA) which has grown every year since 2010-11 at an average 4.9% pa. The region attracted just over 13 million visitors and 14 million visitor nights.

Who we are

Destination Sydney Surrounds South is the regional Destination Network for Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama, Shoalhaven and Wingecarribee.

Destination Networks were established to support regional visitor economy growth, improve stakeholder engagement and help connect local priorities with state wide strategy.

For our region, this means working closely with local councils, tourism operators, Destination NSW and industry partners to identify opportunities, support business capability and deliver practical programs that respond to local needs.

What we do

We work behind the scenes to support tourism and visitor economy growth across the region.

Our work includes regional coordination, industry support, advocacy, strategic projects, data and insights, capability building and connecting businesses with relevant opportunities.

We help businesses and partners access programs, resources, workshops, visitor economy data, industry updates and development opportunities. We also help connect operators with Destination NSW programs, local council teams, grant information, trade and distribution opportunities, and other support that may assist their growth.

For some businesses, this support may be about understanding the visitor economy, improving digital visibility, connecting with local tourism channels or taking part in industry workshops. For others, it may involve product development, event development, business events, agritourism, distribution, international readiness or exploring new visitor markets.

We also work with local government tourism teams to identify shared challenges, regional opportunities and projects that benefit more than one destination. This helps reduce duplication, strengthen partnerships and make it easier for industry to understand where to go for support.

How we support industry

We support tourism and visitor economy businesses by helping them understand what support is available and how they can connect with the right opportunities.

This may include sharing industry updates, promoting workshops and training, providing access to visitor economy insights, connecting businesses with relevant programs and helping operators understand pathways for growth.

We also support industry through regional projects that respond to local and regional needs. These projects may focus on areas such as event development, business events, agritourism, export readiness, distribution, visitor servicing, data and insights, or destination development.

Our aim is to make industry support easier to understand, easier to access and better connected across the region.

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Find Industry Support

What we dont do

Destination Sydney Surrounds South is not the day-to-day consumer marketing body for each destination in the region.

Local councils and local tourism organisations generally lead local destination marketing, visitor servicing and consumer-facing promotion for their areas. Destination NSW leads statewide marketing, major events, industry programs and visitor economy strategy.

We may support regional campaigns, industry toolkits, content partnerships and opportunities that align with regional priorities, but our core role is regional coordination, industry support, advocacy, strategic projects and visitor economy development.

We also do not approve development applications, manage business licences, provide direct funding outside specific programs, operate visitor centres or take bookings on behalf of businesses.

How our work is guided

Our work is guided by the Sydney Surrounds South Destination Management Plan and aligned with the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2035.

The state wide strategy sets the long-term direction for visitor economy growth in New South Wales. We help translate that direction into practical regional action by working with local councils, industry and Destination NSW to deliver programs, projects and advocacy that respond to local needs.

Our annual plans, business plans and annual reports show how this work is prioritised, delivered and reported over time.

View Plans & Reports

Our Region

The Sydney Surrounds South region includes five local government areas: Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama, Shoalhaven and Wingecarribee.

Each area has its own visitor strengths, local priorities and destination identity. Across the region, visitors can explore a diverse mix of coast, highlands, villages, national parks, food and drink, events, accommodation, attractions and nature-based experiences.

Destination Sydney Surrounds South works across these areas to support shared opportunities, regional collaboration and visitor economy growth.

Local visitor websites

For visitors looking to explore the region, each local area has its own consumer-facing destination website. These websites are managed locally and provide visitor information, including things to do, places to stay, events, food and drink, travel inspiration and local trip planning. These links are provided to help visitors, businesses and partners connect with the local destination information for each part of the region.

Explore the region through the local visitor websites below:

kiama.com.au

visitshellharbour.com.au

shoalhaven.com

visitsouthernhighlands.com

visitwollongong.com.au

Strategic Projects

We deliver and support a range of strategic projects that respond to regional priorities and industry needs.

These projects help build business capability, strengthen visitor experiences, support new market opportunities and advocate for long-term visitor economy growth.

Recent projects include:

Go Grand

Find out more here

DSSS is proudly part of a campaign to support the iconic Grand Pacific Drive that stretches from Wollongong through to Shellharbour, Kiama, the Shoalhaven and into the lush Southern Highlands.

This campaign is jointly funded by Destination Sydney Surrounds South and our five Local Government Areas (Kiama, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Wingecarribee, and Wollongong), with the goal of stimulating winter visitation across the region. The campaign showcases inspirational content and highlights experiences under the themes of Grand Experiences, Grand Nature, Grand Flavours, and Grand Stays. You can view the campaign landing page here.

Local businesses are encouraged to get involved in the campaign and can access the shareable content for your own socials.

Agritourism Planning Reforms

Find out more here

The NSW Government has made it easier for farmers to use their land for agritourism to complement their existing businesses.

The simplified planning rules help landowners to add value to their existing agricultural operations and encourages the next generation to farm the land

Great South Coast Walks

Find out more here

Download the project report

The ‘Great South Coast Walks’ (GSCW) is a concept that connects over 660km of existing and proposed coastal walking tracks on the NSW South Coast, stretching from Bundeena on the southern fringe of Sydney to Mallacoota in Victoria.

This project seeks to create a brand identity and establish market position for the GSCW. This umbrella brand will bring together and leverage a series of established walks allowing greater cohesion and marketability of the existing assets.

Advocacy and regional priorities

We work with industry, councils and government partners to advocate for the region’s visitor economy.

This work helps ensure that tourism and visitor economy priorities are understood in conversations about policy, infrastructure, investment, workforce, planning and regional development.

Our advocacy work may include:

Agritourism reform and land tax
Cruise opportunities and Port Kembla
Visitor services
Value of the visitor economy
Infrastructure and investment
Regional dispersal and visitor access
Business capability and workforce needs

Our Board

Destination Sydney Surrounds South is guided by an industry-led Board of Directors with experience across tourism, business, regional development and governance.

The Board provides strategic direction and oversight to ensure our work remains focused on the needs of the region and its visitor economy.