NEWCASTLE Airport's new international terminal is expected to be one of the major projects that will help the state's tourism economy boom in the next decade.
A government review indicates the state's visitor economy is set to grow into a $91 billion industry.
The review of the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy showed the 10 years of growth will be underpinned by a potential increase of 8.5 million airline seats.
The Newcastle international terminal is due to open next year, the new Western Sydney airport is slated for 2026 and there will be increased capacity at Sydney Airport with growth in cross-border arrivals through Canberra and the Gold Coast.
The state government today announced it would adopt a goal of $91 billion in annual visitor economy expenditure by 2035, an increase of 40 per cent on the previous target.
About $44 billion of that is expected to be spent in regional NSW.
The review highlighted key challenges including the need for 40,000 extra hotel rooms across the state, increased business event facilities and to grapple with significant shortages in roles like tour guides and chefs.
It also set out several recommendations.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said the number of people travelling to NSW for their holidays was at an all-time high but the review showed there were opportunities for growth.
"From pristine beaches to lush national parks, NSW is an unbeatable hotspot for tourists across the globe," he said.
"We are ready to put our shoulder to the wheel and attract even more travellers to NSW, boosting local business and creating thousands of jobs."
Tourism minister John Graham said it was an exciting time for the state's visitor economy.
"We're taking a sector that is already very strong and raising our ambitions even higher," he said.
"This review dares us to dream big, but it also outlines the hard work needed to meet the opportunity.
"To reach this ambitious new target we need to build more hotel rooms, attract and train more workers and create and market the experiences that connect visitors with the culture, nature and people of NSW.
"NSW has the nature, the culture and incredible experiences. We just need to match it with hard work and planning."
The final roof beam of Newcastle Airport's international terminal was installed on October 3 at a topping-out ceremony, marking the completion of the $110 million project's external frame.
