Western Sydney readies for growth

Western Sydney is anticipating unprecedented growth when its airport opens in 2026, with new accommodation, event spaces and experiences.

Western Sydney International Airport opens in 2026 with an expectation of 10 million annual passengers. To tap into this opportunity, savvy hotel and infrastructure investors, tourism operators and experiential companies are planting roots in the area in anticipation of major growth.

Greater Western Sydney, which geographically starts 30 km west of the CBD in Parramatta, extends to the foot of the Blue Mountains and is regarded as Australia’s third largest economy, with around 2.5 million residents.

Its industrial roots are now being replaced with creative industries, government head offices, parklands and natural and man-made attractions.

The Accor group opened the first five-star hotel in the city of Penrith, 50 km from Sydney, in the third quarter of 2023. The 153-room Pullman Sydney Penrith is located adjacent to the Western Sydney Conference Centre and Panthers Leisure and Entertainment Precinct, home to restaurants, bars, sporting venues and regular live entertainment.

On opening, Accor Pacific CEO, Sarah Derry, said the property provides guests with a unique experience that combines the tranquility of the Blue Mountains with the vibrant energy of Sydney.

What it has done is provide business and leisure guests with a quality product that is new in Western Sydney. It may not have the pulling power or convention space to attract the larger international association meetings that Sydney can, but it will be an alternative for smaller associations and the corporate meetings market, particularly for those companies that undertake manufacturing nearby.

The addition of the Pullman Sydney Penrith takes investment in the entire precinct to A$110 million, the aim of which is to provide visitors and guests, including conference delegates, with an alternative destination to the city of Sydney.

Guests are being encouraged to use the precinct as their base and then explore the nearby attractions. These include the picturesque Blue Mountains, kayaking on the Nepean River, exploring parklands such as the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan, Sydney Zoo, and white-water rafting. For the golf enthusiast there are more than a dozen championship courses all within 30 minutes of Penrith city.

Pullman Sydney Penrith’s design is inspired by the nearby Nepean River. Landscaping is predominantly native, with over 75 trees and 8,000 plants, which are all maintained with sustainable watering practices.

A First Nations sculpture tells the story of the Nepean River’s importance as a food source and explores local fishing techniques used by the Dharug people. The Warami (pronounced Wara-Me) Community Centre is also included in the precinct, engaging with the locals of Penrith.

Bringing a new level of excellence to Western Sydney’s dining scene is Marcel Bar and Bistro and lobby bar Tori. On the first floor, atop a sweeping central staircase, Marcel is a modern European restaurant with a bar.

For conference groups of up to 1,000, the adjacent Western Sydney Conference Centre offers flexible spaces with high-end technical capabilities. A terrace adjoining the function and pre-function spaces creates a spill-over space above the central landscape area that can be used for cocktails. The central lawn is another space immersed in nature.