Karen Jones has been appointed as CEO of the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.

Ms Jones has been Acting CEO of Destination NSW since January 2025. 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 on 2 June 2025.

Minister for Tourism and Jobs Steve Kamper said: “I would like to congratulate Karen on her appointment as CEO of Destination NSW and I am excited about the agency’s next chapter under her leadership.

“Karen’s proven track record will be invaluable as we prepare to launch the revised NSW Visitor Economy Strategy and ahead of the opening of Western Sydney International Airport, which will bring a once-in-a-generation growth opportunity to the state. 

“NSW is the nation’s leading visitor economy and I look forward to leveraging Karen’s experience to ensure the NSW Government achieves its goal of $91 billion in annual visitor expenditure by 2035.”

Destination NSW Chairman Sally Loane said: “Karen is an outstanding appointment and brings a wealth of experience across government that will serve Destination NSW well during the delivery of the revised NSW Visitor Economy Strategy.

“It has been excellent to work with Karen over the last five months and I am confident that her insights and leadership will be invaluable in championing visitor economy growth in Greater Sydney and regional NSW.”

Destination NSW CEO Karen Jones said: “It is a privilege to be appointed as CEO of Destination NSW. I have been impressed by the agency’s dedication to supporting visitor economy businesses to deliver world-class experiences, growing the state’s major events calendar and marketing NSW to the world.

“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.”

Business Sydney Executive Director Paul Nicolaou said: “Business Sydney welcomes the appointment of Karen Jones as the new CEO of Destination NSW. Tourism and major events play a crucial role in driving economic growth for our wonderful city and Karen’s strong credentials in the infrastructure, policy and sport sectors will be invaluable in building a bright future for Sydney’s business community.

“We look forward to continued collaboration with Destination NSW to ensure the city’s reputation as the events and culture capital of Australia is reinforced.”

Aware Super Chair Christine McLoughlin AM said: “As a former Destination NSW and Venues NSW Chairman I welcome the appointment of Karen Jones to the critical role of CEO of Destination NSW. In my capacity of Chairman of Minerva Network I have had a continuing working relationship with Karen.

“It has been rewarding to work with Karen over the last six years and I am confident her proven track record in sport and entertainment will support a prosperous future for the NSW visitor economy.”