Millions of visitors from around the globe are expected to descend on the NSW capital in 2023 for Sydney WorldPride.

Members of the worldwide InterPride network voted between three cities to secure the event, with the final results being Sydney (60 per cent of votes), Montreal (36 per cent) and Houston (3 per cent).

Taking place in February and March to coincide with Mardi Gras 2023, Sydney WorldPride will mark the first time the event has been held in the Southern Hemisphere and Asia-Pacific region.

This is important as many LGBTQI communities within the Asia Pacific are still denied fundamental human rights.

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras co-chair Giovanni Campolo-Arcidiaco said it is a “major win for Sydney, Australia and the region”.

“Bringing WorldPride Down Under means we can celebrate and shine a spotlight on the unique challenges faced by the LGBTQI community in the region,” he said.

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras co-chair Kate Wickett thanked federal, state and local governments, corporate and community partners, as well as the global community for bringing WorldPride to Sydney 2023.

“This has been a truly collaborative pitch,” she said.

WorldPride represents a major tourism initiative for Australia. Deloitte has estimated a 25-40 per cent increase in visitors for the event, in addition to the 1.094 million-1.225 milliom visitors expected to attend Mardi Gras.

Sydney will be the first stop and other regional attractions will see visitation pre and post event.

“Sydney has long demonstrated its ability to host spectacular world-class events that attract visitors from right across Australia and around the globe,” said Federal Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Simon Birmingham.

“It is absolutely fitting that Australia and particularly Sydney celebrate our diversity through such a symbolic event that will also deliver a huge boost to our tourism industry.

“We are proud to have helped secure this win and look forward to promoting an event not to be missed!”