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STUART AYRES MP APPOINTED TOURISM MINISTER
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced her new Cabinet team earlier this week with Stuart Ayres named as Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney. Geoff Provest was also announced as Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism and Major Events in support of the Minister.
Destination NSW Chairman John Warn congratulated Minister Ayres and Parliamentary Secretary Provest saying, “I’m delighted to welcome Minister Ayres back to the tourism portfolio and am looking forward to working with him and his team to keep NSW the number one State for tourism.”
Minister Ayres most recently held the role of Minister for Sport, WestConnex and Western Sydney. He brings a wealth of experience to the tourism portfolio, having also served as Minister for Tourism and Major Events between 2015 and 2017.
Minister Ayres said, “Tourism is big business and a vital industry to our State’s economy employing 171,000 people which accounts for 1 in 22 jobs in NSW.
“I’m proud to have been given responsibility for this significant and exciting portfolio, and look forward to working closely with Destination NSW as part of the NSW Government’s commitment to continue to bring major events, business events and visitors into NSW from across the globe and Australia.”
50 DAYS UNTIL VIVID SYDNEY
Preparations are ramping up for Vivid Sydney – the largest festival of Light, Music and Ideas in the Southern Hemisphere – and the 2019 program has garnered global attention.
With just 50 days to go until Lights On! on Friday 24 May 2019, light artists are finalising concepts and developing their installations, social media coverage is gaining momentum and tickets are on sale for all events.
Minister for Tourism Stuart Ayres said Vivid Sydney is renowned as an innovative, world-class event with something available for people of all ages and tastes.
“Vivid Sydney continues to attract attention from around the globe and the 2019 festival will once again shine a light on our city, entertain and delight our residents and visitors and give local operators a business boost,” Mr Ayres said.
“Vivid Sydney reinforces the city’s standing as the creative hub of the Asia-Pacific region and the demand for thought-provoking, challenging, exciting and entertaining events as part of this program clearly remains strong.
“In 2018, Vivid Sydney welcomed 2.25 million attendees and generated almost $173 million in tourism spend for NSW, which is an unprecedented outcome among arts and culture events in Australia.”
Vivid Sydney will take place from Friday 24 May to Saturday 15 June in Sydney.
See the full program www.vividsydney.com/events
NSW EDGES $11 BILLION RECORD IN INTERNATIONAL VISITOR SPEND
NSW has continued its reign as Australia’s premier tourism State again recording its highest ever volume of international visitors, nights and expenditure, edging towards $11 billion, according to the latest round of International Visitor Survey (IVS) results.
Destination NSW CEO Sandra Chipchase said that in the year ending December 2018 NSW received nearly 4.4 million visitors (+3.0 per cent) who stayed 96.2 million nights (+2.4 per cent) and spent $10.7 billion (+4.3 per cent).
“NSW is the leading State and accounted for 51.3 per cent of all international visitors to Australia, 35.1 per cent of all nights and 35.5 per cent of all expenditure,” Ms Chipchase said.
“NSW is the top destination for ten of the top fifteen source markets to Australia namely, China, USA, United Kingdom, Korea, Hong Kong, Germany, Indonesia, Taiwan, Canada, and France.”
NSW leads Victoria by 1.3 million international visitors (44 per cent higher than VIC), 23.3 million nights (32 per cent higher) and $2.3 billion in expenditure (27 per cent higher).
NSW leads Queensland by 1.6 million visitors (58 per cent higher than QLD), 41.2 million nights (75 per cent higher) and $4.7 billion in expenditure (79 per cent higher).
WINGS OVER ILLAWARRA SET TO TAKE OFF
Wings Over Illawarra 2019 is set to take off in four weeks’ time and promises to be bigger than ever before. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Illawarra escarpment with an array of impressive planes and helicopters, the event will be held at Illawarra Regional Airport on 4-5 May.
Member for Kiama, Gareth Ward said the NSW Government is proud to again support Wings Over Illawarra through its major events and tourism agency Destination NSW, and encouraged aviation enthusiasts from far and wide to plan their trip to the South Coast.
“Last year, the air show delivered over 4,800 overnight visitors to the beautiful South Coast region, and between them they injected $1.4 million into the local visitor economy. Drawing visitors to rural and regional NSW is a key priority for the NSW Government, which is why we have invested record funding to allow the State’s tourism industry to grow and grow,” Mr Ward said.
Find out more about Wings Over Illawarra.
MEA CONFERENCE HEADING TO THE HUNTER VALLEY
The Hunter Valley has been named the host location of a major 2020 conference that is set to turbocharge the local economy and showcase the region to prospective decision makers.
Hosted by Meetings & Events Australia, EVOLVE is the largest conference for event professionals across the nation and will welcome more than 500 delegates from a variety of industries, who will be accommodated at IHG Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley from 3-5 May, 2020.
Destination NSW Chief Executive Officer Sandra Chipchase said the news is a major coup for the Hunter region, as well as the State’s booming regional business events offering.
“This is another feather in our cap for the State, particularly when it comes to our regional areas being selected to host major industry events that are typically held in major cities,” Ms Chipchase said.
Read more about the conference.
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER HITS THE STAGE
The Australian premiere season of Saturday Night Fever is officially underway, with the iconic hit musical hosting its Opening Night at the Sydney Lyric Theatre on Tuesday. The event attracted an array of celebrities on the red carpet, including Casey Donovan, Caroline O’Connor, Richard Wilkins, Kerri-Anne Kennerley and Maria and Bianca Venuti.
Based on the 1977 movie starring John Travolta, this musical extravaganza has been revitalised for a new generation, with fresh choreography and a stellar line-up of cast members, including Marcia Hines, Paulini and Timomatic.
Destination NSW CEO Sandra Chipchase said securing Saturday Night Fever demonstrates the NSW Government’s commitment to securing the very best musicals for the State.
“Saturday Night Fever is a musical which transcends all generations; making it the perfect night out for the whole family. The incredible line-up of talent paired with phenomenal music, singing and dancing creates a performance which is guaranteed to have audience members bopping along in their seats,” Ms Chipchase said.
Tickets saturdaynightfever.com.au
Photo credit: Chris Pavlich
SNEAK PEEK OF 2019 SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL
The 66th Sydney Film Festival has announced a sneak peek of 23 new films to be featured in this year’s 5-16 June event. The announcement is in advance of the full program launch on Wednesday 8 May.
Sydney Film Festival Director Nashen Moodley said the films are thought-provoking reflections on what unites us as humans.
“This sneak peek of the 2019 program invites us to come in closely together and hear from a wonderful kaleidoscope of voices - from the inspiringly sensational powerhouse talent of gospel queen Aretha Franklin, to a man courageously standing up against racism and facing severe repercussions as a consequence,” Mr Moodley said.
Leading the titles announced is The Final Quarter, documenting AFL champion footballer and Indigenous leader Adam Goodes’ divisive public call-out of racism, and Australia’s heated response.
Renowned Australian documentarian Ian Darling (Suzy & The Simple Man – SFF 2016) chronicles the final years of the Sydney Swans player’s career, as the cheers turned to boos.
View the full sneak peek of films sff.org.au
FIFA WOMEN'S WORLD CUP TROPHY VISITS SYDNEY
FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 fever has hit Sydney, with the official trophy stopping by the Harbour City last Sunday.
The trophy was carried by FIFA officials, who travelled by boat across Sydney Harbour to First Fleet Park near Circular Quay for an event which gave fans the opportunity to see the trophy up-close, and even take a photo with it.
Fans were also able to meet and hear from current, former and future Matildas players, including Kyah Simon, Clare Hunt and Sarah Walsh, as well as Australian football great Mark Schwarzer.
The official FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophy is currently on a two-month global journey that began in Paris in February, and which will conclude in the same city in May.
Destination NSW helped Football Federation Australia (FFA) prepare for the exciting event.
BYRON BAY HOSTS DOWN UNDER ANSWERS SYMPOSIUM
Byron Bay was the destination of choice for the Down Under Answers' Tourism Exchange, which has been taking place this week at Byron at Byron Resort & Spa.
Previously held in New Zealand, this year's event marks a first for Australia.
Fifty of Down Under Answers' top producing North American travel agents have been in attendance at the event, which included one-on-one appointments with 51 NSW, Australian and South Pacific suppliers such as Crown Hotels, Virgin Australia, Sydney Opera House, Bridgeclimb and Let’s Go Surfing. A gala dinner also took place on Thursday night with special guest performance by Kasey Chambers.
Many of the agents participated in pre and post familiarisations - visiting Sydney, Broken Hill, Hawkesbury River and Blue Mountains.
Read more about Down Under Answers.
NEW CHINA EASTERN AIRLINES FLIGHT LANDS IN SYDNEY
Sydney Airport has welcomed the inaugural China Eastern Airlines A350-900 flight, which arrived earlier this week from Shanghai Pudong Airport.
Destination NSW currently has a Memorandum of Understanding with China Eastern Airlines, and provided the airline with a koala mascot and ‘I love Sydney’ caps to welcome passengers to Sydney for the special occasion.
NSW TOURISM AWARD NOMINATIONS OPEN
NSW Tourism operators are being encouraged to seize the opportunity for business recognition at the 2019 NSW Tourism Awards, with more categories than ever before. Managed by the Tourism Industry division of the NSW Business Chamber in partnership with Destination NSW, the annual Awards celebrate tourism excellence across the State. Now in their 30th year, the awards consist of 28 categories. To enter, visit NSW Tourism Awards.
TAFE FLOAT WINS BEST DESIGN AT MARDI GRAS
TAFE NSW Design Centre Enmore ‘BE FEARLESS’ float has been awarded Best Float Design as part of the 2019 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Awards. Inspired by Mexico's Day of the Dead celebrations, the float featured larger-than-life skeleton puppets of ‘famous dead celebrities’ including Freddie Mercury, George Michael, David Bowie and Prince. The centrepiece: an enormous, skull-shaped disco ball.
OPERATOR SOUGHT FOR SYDNEY'S ICONIC THEATRE ROYAL
The NSW Government has launched an Expression of Interest process to garner interest from Australian and international theatre operators in reopening Sydney's Theatre Royal.
Situated in the heart of the Sydney CBD, the approximate 1,100-seat theatre designed by Harry Seidler has been closed since 2016. Its reopening will allow NSW to deliver and host more major touring theatre productions.
The EOI is now open and will close at 11:59pm (AEST) Wednesday 24 April 2019. Details here.
SNOWY VALLEYS' NEW DESTINATION TOURISM BRAND
A new destination tourism brand for the Snowy Valleys Council region Snowy Valleys, Always in Season has been designed to help promote and showcase the region as a tourist destination.
The new brand mark was adopted by councillors at their March council meeting.
Previously marketed as “Tumbarumba Region” and “Tumut Region”, the new brand allows for holistic whole-of-region destination marketing as well as showcasing the individual towns and villages in their own right.
FOOTBALL NSW AND TENNIS NSW JOIN FORCES
Football NSW and Tennis NSW have signed a new partnership agreement aimed at increasing the opportunities for their member clubs and associations to share access to existing tennis facilities across the State.
Working with community stakeholders, new and existing tennis facilities could be made available for multi-purpose community use, suitable for the conduct of small sided football competitions, or general training.
See more at Tennis NSW or Football NSW.
