It’s time to really feel new is the slogan for New South Wales Tourism. With a worldwide perspective formed by research at Harvard College, the newly appointed CEO of Vacation spot New South Wales brings a mindset of collaboration, innovation, and integrity to every thing.
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Karen Jones has been appointed the CEO of Vacation spot NSW, the tourism and main occasions company for the New South Wales authorities in Australia. Vacation spot NSW is the lead company, champion, and voice for the customer economic system inside the New South Wales (NSW) Authorities.
Jones has been Appearing CEO of Vacation spot NSW since January 2025. Throughout her five-month time period, NSW had its highest-ever customer expenditure, whereas the company has delivered occasions together with Australia Day in Sydney, Nice Southern Nights, and Vivid Sydney 2025.
What does Jones take into consideration her new function?
“It’s a privilege to be appointed as CEO of Vacation spot NSW. I’ve been impressed by the company’s dedication to supporting customer economic system companies to ship world-class experiences, rising the state’s main occasions calendar, and advertising NSW to the world. Vacation spot NSW has a implausible workforce in place and is poised to ship. There actually isn’t any higher vacation spot than NSW and I stay up for working with the NSW Authorities and customer economic system stakeholders to additional elevate the state’s vibrant native tradition and dynamic occasions calendar and enhance our customer economic system.”
Earlier than becoming a member of Vacation spot NSW, Jones served as CEO of the Workplace of Sport, the place she drove its Strategic Plan, Play Her Means technique, and involvement within the ‘10 World Cups in 10 Years’ initiative.
Jones has greater than 27 years of management expertise in state and native authorities. She is an completed and revered chief govt with a observe document of driving development, environment friendly operations, and strategic partnerships throughout various sectors.
Jones’ appointment as CEO of Vacation spot NSW was made following a aggressive recruitment course of managed by the Division of Artistic Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport.
Minister for Tourism and Jobs Steve Kamper
The Hon. Minister began his place on March 17 and proudly stated:
“I wish to congratulate Karen on her appointment as CEO of Vacation spot NSW, and I’m excited in regards to the company’s subsequent chapter underneath her management. Karen’s confirmed observe document can be invaluable as we put together to launch the revised NSW Customer Financial system Technique and forward of the opening of Western Sydney Worldwide Airport, which is able to deliver a once-in-a-generation development alternative to the state. NSW is the nation’s main customer economic system and I stay up for leveraging Karen’s expertise to make sure the NSW Authorities achieves its aim of $91 billion in annual customer expenditure by 2035.”
Vacation spot NSW Chairman Sally Loane stated:
Karen is an impressive appointment and brings a wealth of expertise throughout authorities that can serve Vacation spot NSW effectively through the supply of the revised NSW Customer Financial system Technique. It has been glorious to work with Karen during the last 5 months and I’m assured that her insights and management can be invaluable in championing customer economic system development in Better Sydney and regional NSW.”
Karen Jones explains about herself.
I’m an govt chief with a confirmed observe document of driving development, enhancing operations, and fostering robust partnerships throughout various sectors. All through my profession, I’ve targeted on delivering outcomes that make a significant influence – whether or not that’s by strategic planning, workforce management, or fostering collaboration.
Because the Chief Government of the NSW Workplace of Sport, I lead a proficient workforce of over 400 workers throughout 18 places. My function includes guiding our function to create a thriving, inclusive, and sustainable sport ecosystem the place “Everybody Performs Right here.” This consists of overseeing strategic planning, fiscal administration, and stakeholder engagement.
A couple of highlights from my management journey:
• Securing sustainable funding to help long-term operational success.
• Delivering on a multi-year strategic plan aligned with sector, neighborhood, and financial targets.
• Managing multi-billion-dollar funding portfolios, maximising social and financial returns.
• Elevating the organisation’s profile by impactful, high-quality outcomes.
• Main transformation change to streamline operations and enhance market positioning.
My expertise spans the general public, non-public, and not-for-profit sectors, offering me with a novel perspective on navigating complicated stakeholder environments and delivering outcomes that align with broader financial and social targets.
I thrive in dynamic, ever-evolving environments. Tackling complicated challenges and discovering revolutionary options is what drives me – whether or not it’s constructing strategic partnerships, main high-performing groups, or delivering impactful packages.
Past my function, I additionally contribute to the event of elite athletes and future leaders in sport by my work on the Board of the NSW Institute of Sport. I’m additionally proud to be a part of delivering main worldwide sporting occasions, serving to to form the way forward for sport.
With a worldwide perspective formed by research at Harvard College, Grenoble École de Administration, and different main establishments, I deliver a mindset of collaboration, innovation, and integrity to every thing I do. I consider these values are the important thing to creating a long-lasting influence each inside sectors, organisations, and communities.
