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SUPERCARS REVVED UP FOR SEASON FINALE IN NEWCASTLE
The grand finale of the 2019 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship will return to Newcastle this weekend, with the Coates Hire Newcastle 500 underway from today until Sunday 24 November.
The Newcastle 500 was secured exclusively for Newcastle for five years by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW, in partnership with the City of Newcastle.
Supercars Australia’s General Manager of Operations, Kurt Sakzewski said the drivers and the Supercars team love concluding their year in Newcastle.
“This is the third time Newcastle has hosted our final round and our teams can’t wait to get back here every year. Newcastle does a fantastic job of not only providing a beautiful backdrop to our Championship but is also a great host city to our teams and fans, many of whom bring their families from around Australia to enjoy the event.
“The event continues to evolve as a family-friendly event, with exhilarating racing and a well-coordinated transport system. We’re looking forward to seeing what Newcastle has to offer in 2019,” Mr Sakzewski said.
Police launched the high-visibility Operation Newcastle Supercars 2019 yesterday to ensure the safety and security of more than 150,000 people – including competitors, officials and spectators – expected to descend on Newcastle this weekend.
For the latest results and event news, go to supercars.com
ANA LAUNCHES NEW DAILY FLIGHT FROM TOKYO TO SYDNEY
The NSW Government welcomes the decision by Japan’s largest 5-star airline ANA (All Nippon Airways) to launch an additional daily flight between Tokyo and Sydney.
The new daily service from Haneda Airport to Sydney International Airport will commence next year.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney, Stuart Ayres said the move reinforces Sydney’s reputation as Australia’s global city.
“Visitation to NSW from Japan is continuing to soar, with 205,000 Japanese visitors travelling to our State in year-ending June 2019, which was an increase of nearly 20 per cent on the previous year,” Mr Ayres said.
“The NSW Government is delighted ANA has recognised this impressive growth and launched a new daily service from Tokyo to Sydney.
“Since the start of ANA’s Tokyo-Haneda to Sydney services in December 2015, the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency Destination NSW has undertaken seven co-operative marketing campaigns with ANA.
“These campaigns have been designed to promote travel to Sydney and NSW, delivering an estimated $19.3 million in visitor expenditure to the State."
WESTERN SYDNEY WELCOMES SUPER ATHLETES
Athletes will race on a fast course which includes the iconic Penrith Lakes and the stunning Blue Mountains as a backdrop at this Sunday’s IRONMAN 70.3 in Western Sydney. Voted number 1 for Overall Athlete Satisfaction by thousands of athletes around the globe, IRONMAN 70.3 Western Sydney is one of the world’s most talked about courses. Nestled at the base of the Blue Mountains, the event utilises the iconic Penrith Lakes - located at the International Regatta Centre - for the swim while the bike course includes views of the Blue Mountains. The flat scenic run course that was debuted and loved in 2016, takes in Penrith’s Nepean River along the Great River Walk, before runners return to the iconic Sydney International Regatta Centre venue to celebrate down the finish chute. The race starts at 6.15am with presentations at 3.20pm at the Lakeside Restaurant. Ironman.com/im703-western-sydney for more information.
WINE INDUSTRY WINNING THANKS TO INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIP
NSW Wine Industry Association and Destination NSW’s push to promote the NSW’s wine industry to international visitors is fast gaining momentum through the Capturing Growth in Wine Regions State Grant program. To date, the program has delivered a comprehensive wine tourism experience audit and a development plan for each of the 14 wine regions; and six “Sip, Chat & Discover” workshops designed to help wine businesses create unique visitor experiences and sell them online. Workshop participants have received valuable insight about digital marketing from the experts at Red Balloon, TripAdvisor Experiences, Expedia Local Experts, Rezdy and Booking Boss. Already, as a consequence of the workshops, NSW operators have developed more than 30 new wine tourism experiences that are available for booking online for the first time. To learn more about these workshops and Destination NSW’s NSW First training programs, wineries are encouraged to sign up for NSW First updates and to list their business – for FREE -on visitnsw.com through the Get Connected program.
THREDBO VALLEY TRACK EXTENSION OPEN FOR ADVENTURE
A world-class mountain bike track, meandering alongside the picturesque Thredbo River and among the spectacular scenery of the iconic Snowy Mountains has been officially opened. National Parks and Wildlife Service Director Mick Pettitt said the new 18 kilometre Thredbo Valley Track Extension and Gaden Bridge over the Thredbo River, doubles the original track from Thredbo Village to Bullocks Flat (Skitube). “The Thredbo Valley Track Extension creates a 35-kilometre experience for riders of all abilities. The completion of the impressive new bridge over the Thredbo River means the track can now be counted among Australia’s best mountain-biking experiences. This project taps into the growing mountain bike tourism market and will drive significant growth in summer visitation to the region,” Mr Pettitt said. The extension was funded through $9.8 million Regional Growth Environment and Tourism Fund.
POP INTO PERRICOOTA FOR FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL
Pericoota’s Pop & Pour Festival is on tomorrow 23 November, showcasing the best food and drink of Echuca and Moama. The festival brings fresh local produce together with award-winning wineries, breweries and distilleries at boutique, rustic venues. The Pericoota wine region celebrates the rich history of the Murray River, while the local community display signature Australian country hospitality. Guests can enjoy the progressive festival, stopping for sips and bites all while soaking up unique local hangouts and Perricoota’s coolest live acts. For more information and tickets popandpour.com.au
REGISTER FOR TOURISM AUSTRALIA'S INDUSTRY BRIEFING
Tourism Australia is hosting a NSW industry briefing on December 5 to offer local operators the chance to hear about Tourism Australia’s strategic and creative direction. The peak industry body will also provide participants with key resources, and offer tactical support to tourism businesses across NSW. The free three hour session will include market insights, details of Tourism Australia’s latest campaigns and outline the opportunities for businesses to engage and attract visitors to NSW. Register online to confirm your attendance.
GIVE THE GIFT OF DISNEY'S FROZEN THIS CHRISTMAS
Smash-hit Broadway production Frozen is ready to make its way to Australia, with its premiere season landing at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre from July 2020. The musical is based on the 2013 film of the same name that brought us the inescapable singalong hit ‘Let It Go’ – which reached the top five on the Billboard 100 Chart and won both the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2015 and the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media in 2015 – along with ‘Do You Want to Build a Snowman?’ and ‘In Summer’. Tickets are available via ticketmaster.com.au
