She’s been acting in the role since January but now Karen Jones has been made CE0 of Destination NSW.
During her five-month tenure, NSW has celebrated its highest-ever visitor expenditure, while the agency has delivered events including Australia Day in Sydney, Great Southern Nights and Vivid Sydney 2025.
Prior to joining Destination NSW, Ms Jones served as CEO of the Office of Sport, where she drove its Strategic Plan, Play Her Way strategy and involvement in the ‘10 World Cups in 10 Years’ initiative.
Ms Jones has more than 27 years of leadership experience in state and local government. She is an accomplished and respected chief executive with a track record of driving growth, efficient operations and strategic partnerships across diverse sectors.
Ms Jones’ appointment as CEO of Destination NSW was made following a competitive recruitment process managed by the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport. She will formally transition to the permanent CEO role today.
“I have been impressed by the agency’s dedication to support visitor economy businesses to deliver world-class experiences, growing the state’s major events calendar and marketing NSW to the world,” said Ms Jones.
“Destination NSW has a fantastic team in place and is poised to deliver. There really is no better destination than NSW and I look forward to working with the NSW Government and visitor economy stakeholders to further elevate the state’s vibrant local culture and dynamic events calendar and boost our visitor economy.”
