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BLOCKBUSTER CULTURAL EVENTS RETURN TO SYDNEY
Sydney is celebrating the return in 2021 of two of the Emerald City’s most anticipated cultural events – Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour and the Sydney International Art Series.
The NSW Government, through Destination NSW, this week renewed its partnership with Opera Australia for another three years to secure the globally acclaimed outdoor opera event, which is set against the spectacular backdrop of Sydney Harbour.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour would continue to be a major drawcard for visitors when it returned in March 2021 with Verdi’s La Traviata.
“Nowhere else in the world can you sit beneath the stars and witness a breathtaking opera performance in front of such an iconic harbour backdrop. This is Sydney at its absolute best,” Mr Ayres said.
“Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour is an unmissable event on the NSW annual events calendar, attracting thousands of visitors to Sydney since it began in 2012, and we know it will play an important role in stimulating the NSW visitor economy going forward.”
Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour’s La Traviata will run from 26 March to 25 April 2021.
Bringing the world’s most outstanding exhibitions exclusively to Sydney, the Sydney International Art Series (SIAS) will make a grand return in 2021 through the support of Destination NSW.
The SIAS will feature Doug Aitken: New Era at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia from 24 September, and Matisse: Life and Spirit, Masterpieces from the Centre Pompidou, Paris at the Art Gallery of New South Wales from 20 November.
Minister for the Arts Don Harwin said the SIAS 2021-22 offered visitors the unique opportunity to appreciate the works of two very different, but significant artists.
“This will be the first Australian survey exhibition of leading contemporary artist Doug Aitken, who is known for his sensory and immersive installations. Meantime, Matisse: Life and Spirit will feature more than 100 works by late French artist Henri Matisse, direct to Sydney from the renowned Centre Pompidou in Paris,” Mr Harwin said.
Since its inception in 2010, the SIAS has generated more than $167 million in overnight visitor expenditure for the state and attracted more than 2.5 million attendees, with over 229,000 overnight visitors coming specifically to Sydney to view the exhibitions.
Read more in the Sydney Morning Herald, 'Blockbusters back on: Sydney's major shows rescheduled for 2021'.
AUSTRALIA DAY 2021 IN NSW - REFLECT ON THE AUSTRALIAN SPIRIT
Australia Day 2021 celebrations in Sydney will be different next 26 January in keeping with COVID-safe plans, but it still remains a day to inspire and unify the community.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said Sydney and NSW have always taken centre stage on Australia Day with our inspiring national program. This will continue in 2021 but in a COVID-safe way.
“The Australia Day 2021 program in NSW strikes that balance with a smaller number of events, careful crowd management plans and plenty of ways to engage online and through TV broadcasts,” Mr Ayres said.
NSW frontline workers will be offered passes to attend the Australia Day Live concert at the Sydney Opera House Forecourt, which will also be broadcast live to the nation on ABC TV.
The Sydney CBD program will have significant changes to key events. The Sydney Harbour daytime program will not be taking place as COVID-safe crowd management around the foreshore cannot be guaranteed.
The Australia Day 2021 program will include the WugulOra Morning Ceremony at Barangaroo Reserve, a Salute to Australia at Government House, the Oz Day 10K wheelchair race and the Australia Day Live concert.
As with New Year’s Eve, anyone planning to attend Circular Quay in the evening of Australia Day must have a restaurant booking or hold a ticket for Australia Day Live.
The precinct will close to the general public from 5pm and a similar COVID pass system that is rolling out for New Year’s Eve will be in place for Australia Day, with further details to be provided in January 2021.
Across NSW, many councils are still planning Australia Day activities for their communities and recent changes to Public Health Orders will allow Councils to host larger outdoor events and Citizenship Ceremonies. Each Local Government Area must ensure their events are COVID-safe and in line with Public Health Orders.
Minister Ayres is calling on all Sydneysiders and NSW residents this Australia Day to engage with local communities, support local businesses, celebrate with friends and family at cafes and restaurants in a COVID-safe way and discover NSW’s backyard with a road trip.
“More NSW residents out and about this summer will deliver a vital boost to the NSW economy. It is a time to support each other by visiting, staying, eating and shopping locally. Each one of us can give back to these communities and make a difference. We also welcome residents from other states and territories,” Mr Ayres said.
For more details on the Australia Day 2021 program, visit www.australiaday.com.au.
GREAT SOUTHERN NIGHTS ON SONG FOR NSW INDUSTRY AND MUSIC LOVERS
More than 75,000 tickets were sold to music-lovers for Great Southern Nights gigs, reviving live music across NSW, and supporting thousands of NSW jobs and hundreds of local communities.
The NSW Government initiative, delivered by Destination NSW in partnership with the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), produced more than 1100 live music shows in 140-plus NSW towns and Sydney suburbs in November.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said Great Southern Nights was an ambitious project that demonstrated NSW’s capacity to hold events in a COVID-safe manner.
“NSW has led Australia, and even the world, in getting live entertainment back on stages, from Great Southern Nights’ 1100 gigs across NSW to musical theatre reopening in Sydney,” Mr Ayres said.
“The NSW Government continues to provide opportunities to reboot the NSW economy in a COVID-safe environment, and it’s fantastic that so many people have supported the thousands of artists, venues, roadies, tech workers and tourism businesses behind Great Southern Nights.
“We have demonstrated that live music is crucial to NSW’s social, cultural and economic well-being and can be enjoyed while following the health advice, which supports NSW’s approach to further easing restrictions in recent weeks.”
More than 2500 artists performed at 300-plus venues across NSW from Katoomba to Kingscliff, Goulburn to Gosford for Great Southern Nights.
The live music industry has praised the initiative.
The heart and soul of Australian rock n’ roll, Jimmy Barnes, who performed to hundreds of fans at the Sydney Coliseum said: “Like many industries, 2020 has been very difficult for musicians and all those who work with them. Great Southern Nights was a good idea, well executed and I was happy to be part of it.”
Read the full story about how Great Southern Nights supported NSW’s entertainment, hospitality and tourism industries.
NSW VENUES TO OPEN LATER FOR 2021 SPECIAL EVENTS
In a bid to boost hospitality businesses across the state, the NSW Government has extended hotel and club trading times for major events over the next 12 months, allowing patrons even more time to enjoy their favourite sports and arts events across the state.
Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello said the extended trading would help the industry after what has been an incredibly tough year.
“Many hotels are restricted to standard Sunday 10pm trading but these extensions during special events such as the Australian Open tennis, Vivid, the NRL Grand Final and the Coonamble Rodeo and Campdraft means they can open until midnight,” Mr Dominello said.
“The later Sunday trading times are another way the NSW Government can help the state’s hotels and clubs after what has been a very tough year.
“We want NSW residents to enjoy these special events but do so in a responsible, COVID-safe way.
“We’ve all worked too hard together as a state to get where we are now to mess it up heading into summer.”
NINE NEW FOOD, WINE AND ALE TRAILS SET TO TANTALISE TRAVELLERS
Just in time for the upcoming holiday period, Destination NSW has launched nine new Food, Wine and Ale Trails, which are set to inspire travellers to enjoy the state’s very best wine and produce.
Forming a key component of the NSW Food and Wine Tourism Strategy and Action Plan and the Independent Breweries Action Plan, the new itineraries combine the magnificent natural beauty of Sydney and regional NSW with fresh produce, elegant wines, boutique beers and quality restaurants. They also celebrate some of the state’s existing food, wine and ale trails, as well as unmissable signature experiences of each region.
Through promoting the itineraries on VisitNSW.com and Sydney.com, Destination NSW is encouraging travellers to join a range of organised food and wine tours or follow the routes on scenic road trips at their leisure.
The trails include:
- Port To Port: Newcastle, Port Stephens and Port Macquarie
- Capital to Coast: Canberra and South Coast
- On the Growers' Path: Hawkesbury and Mudgee
- Blue to Orange: Blue Mountains and Orange
- Voyage to the Valley: Central Coast and Hunter Valley
- Haven to Highlands: Shoalhaven and Southern Highlands
- Northern Exposure: Northern Rivers and The Tweed
- Valleys and Vines: Wagga Wagga, Tumut, Batlow, Tumbarumba, Junee and Coolamon
- Taste of Sydney: Western Sydney, Inner West, City Centre and Northern Beaches
The trails have been created in partnership with the Independent Brewers Association and NSW Wine Industry Association.
To learn more about the NSW Government’s commitment to the state’s food and beverage producers, read the NSW Food and Wine Tourism Strategy and Action Plan and the Independent Breweries Action Plan.
NSW TO BUILD A STARTUP HUB IN WESTERN SYDNEY
The NSW Government will fund the creation of a second Startup Hub located in Western Sydney, an investment designed to put technology and innovation at the centre of the state’s post-COVID economic recovery strategy.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the Western Sydney Startup Hub project would cement investment, technology and innovation as the centrepiece of the Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy.
“This new Startup Hub will be an exciting step in activating the historic Parramatta North Heritage Core and is set to provide 1500 square metres of affordable co-working space and programs to support Western Sydney startups, scaleups and businesses,” Mr Ayres said.
“It will form part of the revitalised Parramatta North Heritage Core and will honour our past while preparing us for the future, by providing the space to create the jobs of tomorrow.
“It will draw on the successes of the Sydney Startup Hub in the Sydney CBD, which has already housed almost 500 companies, generated more than $280 million in investment and created more than 1000 jobs.
“This project will bring the innovation revolution to the heart of Western Sydney, complementing the growth of the broader Westmead Health and Innovation District, including the recently announced Innovation Quarter development, which will deliver over 1000 jobs and 28,000 square metres of health, research, education and commercial space.”
The Western Sydney Startup Hub is expected to open in late 2021. Expressions of interest to operate and manage the Western Sydney Startup Hub will be open to respondents until 18 December 2020.
Click here for more information.
VALE JOHN THORPE, HOTEL INDUSTRY LEGEND
John Thorpe AM, two-time president of the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) NSW and past board member of the former Tourism NSW, has passed away following a long illness.
Mr Thorpe served on the board of Tourism NSW from 2002 to 2008, and two terms as president of AHA NSW between 1993 and 1995 and again between 1999 and 2008. He was also a former national president of the Association, having started his career by training in hotel management at the Hilton Hotel in Hong Kong.
He sold the popular Harbord Beach Hotel at Freshwater - known to locals as the Harbord Hilton - earlier this year after more than 40 years owning and living in the premises.
Current AHA NSW President Scott Leach paid tribute to his predecessor, whom he said had changed the face of the hotel sector.
“The hotel industry has today lost a true legend,” Mr Leach said. “Mr Thorpe was a giant of the industry in every way. A true Aussie character who liked a beer and a punt, John lived and breathed hotels.”
Hotel industry icon Arthur Laundy said his friend of many decades, whom he remembered as a fine athlete in his youth, always had the hotel industry’s interests at heart.
“John did his best for the industry – once he went into the hotel trade he gave it his all,” Mr Laundy said. “He led our industry through some difficult times, and we should all be very grateful for the time he gave for us all.”
Mr Thorpe was the patron of Freshwater Surf Club, Valley United Junior Rugby League Football Club and the Friends of Freshwater community group.
HELPING BUSINESSES PREPARE FOR THE UNEXPECTED
The NSW Government has launched a new toolkit, which aims to better equip businesses in the face of challenges, such as natural disasters and other disruptions.
The Prepare for the Unexpected - Build a Business Continuity Plan will offer businesses key information and resources to ensure they can be back up and running faster, following an unexpected event.
Minister for Finance and Small Business Damien Tudehope said the toolkit provided proactive steps to identify and manage future challenges.
“From ensuring businesses can access their business records and operate their business from an alternative location to putting together an evacuation plan for floods, storms and bushfires, this resource provides a step-by-step guide with checklists and templates that can be filled out by business owners,” Mr Tudehope said.
NSW Small Business Commissioner Chris Lamont said it was vital for every business to plan for the unexpected.
“Business continuity planning is an essential requirement for growing and sustaining a good business.
“When disaster hits, it can be difficult to know how to respond but this new resource provides business owners with practical advice and assistance on how to assemble a plan to help them navigate the disruption and get back to business sooner,” Mr Lamont said.
Resilience NSW Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons encouraged small businesses to make use of the new resource.
Prepare for the Unexpected was developed by the NSW Small Business Commission. It is part of a suite of resources the agency has compiled to support business owners to prepare for and recover quickly when disaster strikes.
For more information on how small businesses can prepare for disasters, click here.
GIVE THE GIFT OF TRAVEL THIS CHRISTMAS
Tourism Australia this week released the next phase of its Holiday Here This Year campaign, encouraging Australians to support the tourism industry by gifting a holiday or a travel experience this festive season.
With the majority of state borders open, this latest marketing push encourages Australians - who are in a position to do so - to take the opportunity to reconnect with friends and family while enjoying one of the many experiences on offer across Australia.
Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said gifting a tourism experience would provide an opportunity for people to spend quality time with loved ones, while also providing a much-needed boost for Australia’s hard-hit tourism industry.
“Australia is lucky enough to be home to some of the most unique and wonderful experiences, but with many of our top attractions most popular with international visitors, we need Australians to help fill the void until our international borders re-open again,” Mr Birmingham said.
“By visiting a tourist attraction or an experience you will be supporting tourism jobs and also the thousands of tourism businesses across Australia that have done it so incredibly tough this year.”
Tourism Australia Managing Director Phillipa Harrison said the recent re-opening of key borders meant that the latest phase of its Holiday Here This Year campaign was able to feature every Australian state and territory.
“This is such a special time of the year to connect with our family and friends. And after the year we’ve had - with lockdowns, working from home and physical distancing - we know there’s a lot of Australians out there just itching to get out and spend quality time with those most close to them,” Ms Harrison said.
The ‘Holiday Gifting’ will be rolled out across a range of channels including radio, Out Of Home, social media and digital, with assets also being made available to industry to use in their own marketing initiatives. More information on the campaign can be found here.
FAST FORWARD WITH VISITOR ECONOMY SYMPOSIUM
Destination Sydney Surrounds South will next week host its Fast Forward: Visitor Economy Symposium.
The event is an opportunity for industry to come together to discuss and learn about key opportunities such as agri-tourism, experience development and tourism trends. Social researcher and trend forecaster Michael McQueen will deliver the keynote address, with other speakers to include representatives from Destination NSW, Tourism Australia and other industry bodies.
The Symposium will take place from 9.30am to 4.30pm on Tuesday 15 December at The Pavilion Kiama, with networking to follow. The event is free but numbers will be limited, so attendees are advised to register for the event.
NSW COASTLINE SWARMING WITH FISH
Fishers and anglers can look forward to a successful summer off the NSW coast, following the deployment of five new Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs).
The FADs attract warm water sportfish during the summer months, including mahi mahi and other pelagic sportfish. The new additions take the NSW Government’s total number of FADs from 30 up to 35, all of which are now bobbing off the state’s coastline, from the Tweed all the way down to Eden. The devices are designed to withstand harsh coastal conditions and have been deployed between six and 32 kilometres offshore, where they will remain until June next year as part of the FAD program, which is funded by the NSW Recreational Fishing Trust.
Fishers can keep up to date with the latest via the NSW DPI website or by using the FishSmart app.
NEW SAFETY VIDEO FOR NEW ZEALAND
Air New Zealand and Tourism New Zealand have launched an engaging new safety video Aotearoa, the 8th Wonder of the World to help support its domestic tourism industry.
Air New Zealand Chief Customer and Sales Officer Leanne Geraghty said Aotearoa, the 8th Wonder of the World was a high impact way to promote destinations across New Zealand, from Cape Reinga to Stewart Island, to both domestic and international audiences.
“The video assists in supporting the recovery of international tourism once borders reopen. We know the decision-making process for visitors to come to New Zealand will be different into the future – so we need to be building the appeal and desire now in international markets in anticipation of borders re-opening,” Ms Geraghty said.
To watch the video, click here.
