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MORE BIG SPENDING TRAVELLERS COME FOR VIVID SYDNEY
Having celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2018, Vivid Sydney remains as popular as ever with a record number of travel packages sold to domestic and international tourists wishing to catch a glimpse of the action.
NSW Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said he was delighted that a record 185,887 travel packages were sold in 2018 – up a whopping 37 per cent on last year’s festival.
“The growing number of international and domestic visitors is testament to the enduring popularity of Vivid Sydney a decade on and a timely reminder of the work it does in injecting expenditure into the State’s economy,” Mr Marshall said.
“When it comes to international visitors the festival continues to be most favoured by Chinese travellers, with more than 25,500 (Mainland and Hong Kong) packages sold in 2018.
“But we’re also starting to see growing interest from new international markets such as Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea, which all recorded significant increases,” he said.
Travellers turned out in droves, joining locals in enjoying large-scale light installations and projections, music performances and creative discussions at nine precincts across the city.
Despite an unprecedented six days and nights of rain, total attendees for Vivid Sydney 2018 (2.25 million) were just shy of 2017’s record 2.35 million.
SIGHTS SET ON HUNTER FOR WORLD CUP BID
Sports fans are a step closer to seeing the 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup on Australian soil following the naming of the Hunter region as the proposed host.
Minister for Sport Stuart Ayres joined Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald, Chief Executive of Rugby Australia Raelene Castle, 10 World Cup Chairman Rod McGeoch and Wallaroos players to unveil details of the bid to bring the World Cup to Newcastle and Maitland.
“We are committed to attracting world class sporting events not only for Sydney but regional NSW. Securing the 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup puts women’s sport front and centre in achieving our 10 World Cups in 10 years strategy,” Mr Ayres said.
Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said, “Hosting the Women’s Rugby World Cup for the first time in the southern hemisphere will inject close to $23 million into the NSW economy.”
World Rugby will announce the winning host nation in November this year.
Image: Rugby Australia CEO Raelene Castle and Minister Ayres with Wallaroos players. (Getty Images)
FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON SYDNEY OPENS IN CENTRAL PARK
Visitors will soon be able to immerse themselves in Sydney’s vibrant Central Park precinct, with the opening of the Four Points by Sheraton Sydney, Central Park.
Strategically located in Chippendale, the hotel sits in the heart of Sydney’s creative scene, from artisan cafes and galleries to hidden bars.
The downtown Sydney hotel consists of 297 stylishly appointed guestrooms, including two luxury suites, an al fresco bar, modern restaurant, over 553 square metres of function space, a fitness centre and convenient parking facilities.
Nestled within Central Park’s residential developments and located next to Central Park Mall, the hotel allows visitors to experience Sydney through a local lens and is just minutes away from Chinatown, Darling Harbour and the Sydney CBD.
For more information, visit www.fourpoints.com/sydneycentralpark.
NSW ON SHOW TO KEY TRAVEL BUYERS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA
Some of the State’s best export-ready tourism businesses travelled to Singapore and Malaysia this week to promote Sydney and regional NSW to more than 300 travel trade representatives across South East Asia.
The South East Asia Roadshow involved one-on-one appointments and networking events to further educate overseas travel agents about the vast array of products and experiences NSW has to offer.
Visitors from Singapore and Malaysia are an important international source market. In the year ending March 2018, NSW welcomed a total of 207,800 visitors from Singapore and Malaysia who spent a combined $442 million at our hotels, restaurants and local tourist attractions.
The Roadshow was organised by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
SYDNEY GOOD FOOD CELEBRATES 20 YEARS
Sydney Good Food Month will celebrate 20 years of unforgettable food events this October.
The flavour-packed program shines a light on the influential chefs and restaurants that have helped shape Australia’s culinary landscape.
Kicking off on 4 October, the Night Noodle Markets return to Sydney’s Hyde Park with 40 sizzling stalls over 18 nights. Food lovers will feast on signature dishes and innovative tastes from the likes of Mr Bao, Chat Thai, Bangkok Street Food, Black Star Pastry and Gelato Messina.
Hyde Park North will once again host vibrant pop-up restaurant Hyde Park Palms from 4-21 October, with a stellar line up of exciting events, including conversations with Australian culinary masters like Neil Perry and Bill Granger; dinners with international talent such as LA’s Jason Neroni and a celebration of Australian women of culinary influence.
For program information and tickets, visit www.goodfoodmonth.com/sydney
TREETOPS ADVENTURE PARK NETS GRANT WIN
A sky-high maze of tree-houses connected by nets and slides will be the newest tourist attraction on the Central Coast following a NSW Government grant win by the TreeTops Adventure Park.
Member of the Legislative Council, The Hon Taylor Martin MLC said the Park will receive $149,000 from the Regional Tourism Fund, which is managed by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
“The TreeTops Adventure Park already provides a broad range of unique and exciting outdoor experiences for people of all ages and abilities so I am delighted that this NSW Government funding will allow them to add to their existing tourism offering,” Mr Martin said.
Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said, “The Regional Tourism Fund is part of our strategy to boost tourism right across the State and aims to increase visitation to our wonderful regions such as the Central Coast which in turn, supports the local economy and jobs.”
For more information on the Regional Tourism Fund, click here.
SMOOTH FESTIVAL OF CHOCOLATE RETURNS TO SYDNEY
The Smooth Festival of Chocolate is returning for a fifth year in a brand-new location, the Sydney Showground in Sydney Olympic Park, on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 September.
Families and chocolate lovers will experience a two-day celebration of decadent desserts and sweet treats with live cooking demonstrations, family entertainment, along with mouth-watering stalls offering goodies to satisfy sweet-tooths and savoury fans alike.
In celebration of the hit musical Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, which will premiere to Australian audiences in Sydney in January 2019, the Festival will include Charlie & the Chocolate Factory’s Fabulous Ferris Wheel.
With more stalls than ever before, the Festival will also welcome back favourites Gelato Messina and Blackstar Pastry.
For every ticket sold to the festival, two meals will be donated to Australia’s leading food rescue charity, OzHarvest.
For tickets and information, go to www.smoothfestivalofchocolate.com.au
BIRCH RESTAURANT MAKES DROUGHT PLEDGE
On behalf of every table that dines at Moss Vale’s Birch Restaurant for the duration of their Winter Menu, the restaurant will purchase a bale of hay for deserving farmers through the Drought Angels organisation.
The drought is having a devastating impact on farmers and producers, including those that Birch relies upon to source the quality ingredients their guests have come to love since its opening late last year.
To book a table at Birch, click here.
$7 MILLION INVESTMENT AT EVANS HEAD
Almost seven million dollars is being invested at Reflections Holiday Parks Evans Head to begin the first stage of the improvement program which includes 13 new architecturally-designed cabins, an upgrade of power sites and new landscaping.
Expressions of Interest to get the popular Evans Head kiosk up and running once again are now open, offering a new long-term tenure on the kiosk management.
For more information, click here.
WORKSHOPS COMING SOON IN GOSFORD AND NEWCASTLE
Registrations close soon for three NSW First workshops in Newcastle and Gosford.
Register here for the Inbound Strategy Workshop in Newcastle on 21 August. Register here for the Tourism Manager Forum in Newcastle on 22 August. Register here for the Tourism Development Workshop in Gosford on 23 August.
The workshops are part of the NSW First Program, delivered by Destination NSW to assist tourism businesses to develop, promote and sell great tourism experiences. View the full calendar here.
CHINA ROADSHOW APPLICATIONS OPEN
Destination NSW is pleased to offer NSW tourism suppliers and destinations the opportunity to attend the 2018 China Roadshow in Xi’an, China, from 5-9 November 2018.
The Roadshow is designed to showcase Sydney and NSW products and destinations to key tourism partners. The Roadshow will also include a networking gala dinner for NSW sellers, buyers and key industry stakeholders.
For more information and to register, click here.
LET'S GO SURFING GAINS ECOTOURISM CERTIFICATION
Let’s Go Surfing has achieved the esteemed Ecotourism Certification for their Surf and SUP schools with Ecotourism Australia.
The ECO Certification program assures travellers that certified products are backed by a well-managed commitment to sustainable practices and provides high quality nature-based tourism experiences.
For information or to book a surfing lesson with Let’s Go Surfing, click here.
HAMMONS HOLDINGS ACQUIRES BRIDGECLIMB ASSETS
Hammons Holdings, the newly-appointed concessionaire of Sydney Harbour Bridge Tourism Activities, has announced it has successfully agreed a term sheet with OTTTO Holdings (Aust.) Pty Ltd to acquire the existing BridgeClimb Sydney assets.
The term sheet also provides for the transition of employees and will ensure no disruption to current operations.
Companies and individuals are invited to continue using the BridgeClimb website for bookings.
