TCS Sydney Marathon and the British and Irish Lions Tour have boosted Sydney’s average daily hotel rates and revenue per available room to a record August high.

Preliminary data from property analytics provider CoStar shows the hotel industry posted its highest August average daily rate (ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPAR) on record.

In August 2025, occupancy averaged 84.4 per cent (+8.7 per cent year on year). The average daily rate was $285.71 (+14.9 per cent year on year) and RevPAR was $241.18 (+24.9 per cent year on year)

Additionally, the market recorded its highest August occupancy since 2018.

Performance peaked on the night before the TCS Sydney Marathon, 30 August, with occupancy at 95.1 per cent, ADR at $414.96 and RevPAR at $394.76.

Supported proudly by Destination NSW, the TCS Sydney Marathon created history on 31 August 2025, setting a new record for the largest marathon ever held in Australia.

Event organisers revealed there were 32,979 marathon finishers from more than 100 countries, who were cheered on by an estimated 350,000 spectators.

STR Regional Director Matthew Burke said: “Sydney was elevated to seventh in the global marathon series, joining the likes of New York and London.

“Being the first in the Southern Hemisphere drew additional participation at professional and amateur levels.”

Sydney also hosted the last game of the British and Irish Lions Tour on 2 August, which pushed occupancy to 92.8 per cent and ADR and RevPAR to $390.18 and $361.91 respectively.

Supported proudly by Destination NSW, British and Irish Lions Tour drew more than 40,000 international fans, with the sold-out final match in Sydney attracting a crowd of 83,000.

British and Irish fans also contributed to regional destinations through July with high-single to double-digit RevPAR gains in Sydney surrounds.

“Major events drive additional demand and create peaks in room rates," Bourke said.

“Such events are even more valuable through the Australian winter, typically the lowest occupancy months of the year.”

Overall for August, Sydney’s occupancy levels came above the 70 per cent mark on all but one night – Sunday, 24 August (67.5 per cent).

“Sydney’s August performance was forecasted to be extremely positive,” Burke said.

“As early as March, forward occupancy on the books for August was tracking six points higher in occupancy and grew further as the month approached.”

Accommodation focus for NSW visitor economy

The NSW Government recently launched the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy, which has clear targets to generate $91 billion in annual visitor expenditure, 40,000 new hotel rooms, 8.5 million new airline seats and an additional 150,000 jobs by 2035.

The strategy focuses on five key pillars to accelerate growth:

  • Make it Easy for More People to Visit – growing aviation capacity by 8.5 million seats, unlocking 40,000+ new accommodation rooms and expanding the tourism workforce.
  • Focus on Attracting Visitors – elevating the NSW and Sydney brands through bold storytelling and data-led marketing, showcasing Sydney as a destination beyond well-known postcards.
  • Drive Growth through Events – locking in a nation-leading calendar of major sport, culture and business events to draw visitors year-round.
  • Focus on Experiences – delivering immersive, high-quality and culturally rich visitor offerings across metro and regional NSW that highlight our stunning landscapes and world-leading produce.
  • Leverage Data and Insights – improving access to real-time data and consumer insights to enable agile decision-making across the sector.

Learn more here.