No Images? Click here FINAL NIGHTS TO SEE THE LIGHTSThe curtain will close tomorrow evening on Vivid Sydney, after an incredible 23 days and nights of Light, Music and Ideas. Vivid Sydney has captured the attention of all ages and if you haven’t had a chance to visit yet, make sure it’s on your agenda for tonight or tomorrow evening. This year, Vivid Sydney celebrated its 10th anniversary as the largest festival of Light, Music and Ideas in the world and is now the largest festival in Australia. Colour, community, creativity and technology combined at nine sensational precincts, masterful musicians took to stages in music venues large and small, and curious minds tackled future-shaping topics at forums and workshops throughout the city. Organisers are reminding people to plan their trip for the festival’s final nights and for those visiting The Rocks, Circular Quay and the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, a one-way walking route will be in place. Details of events for the final days of the festival program are available via www.vividsydney.com.au or on the official Vivid Sydney app. TUTANKHAMUN TO STAR IN REVAMPED MUSEUMThe Australian Museum will host the extraordinary Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh exhibition in early 2021. The exhibition has been secured by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW, in partnership with the Australian Museum and is also thanks to the Government’s commitment to a $50 million refurbishment of the Museum. Sydney is part of a 10-city world tour to mark the centenary of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 by British archaeologist Howard Carter, and the exhibition will include Egyptian artefacts that will never be seen again outside of Egypt. NSW Minister for the Arts Don Harwin said, “The Tutankhamun exhibition is a game-changer for Sydney and Australia. Sydney is the major cultural city in the Pacific/South East Asian region, and the significant upgrades to the Australian Museum will ensure we have world-class museum exhibition spaces for visitors as well as residents to enjoy.” For more information, visit australianmuseum.net.au NEW WORKSHOPS AND WEBCASTS ON OFFERDestination NSW has announced that 32 face-to-face workshops and 11 new on-demand webcasts will be delivered for NSW tourism businesses to help them develop, promote and sell their products to visitors from Australia and the world. Minister for Tourism and Major Events, and Assistant Minister for Skills Adam Marshall said the NSW Government is committed to providing tourism businesses with expert advice to ensure they continue to grow. “The NSW First Program offers tourism industry the tools and knowledge needed to gain a competitive edge, and we’re delighted to announce that this year’s Program has been expanded to include more workshops and more webcasts, which can be accessed by industry 24/7,” Mr Marshall said. “We know that our local businesses are great champions for their region and we want to make sure that we continue to support them on areas such as regional conferencing, international markets and social media." To view the full 2018-19 NSW First Program and to register, go to www.destinationnsw.com.au/workshops. PRICE CUT FOR CARAVAN REGISTRATIONGrey nomads, families and adventurers will benefit from a 40 per cent reduction in the cost of registering their caravans and camper trailers, following the NSW Government’s decision to ease travel costs for caravanners. Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight Melinda Pavey announced the significant reduction in the motor vehicle tax for private caravan owners, which will come into effect from 1 November, 2018. Ms Pavey said the Government recognised the need to reduce costs associated with the popular vehicles and this reduction in motor vehicle tax will allow people to spend their money on the things they love – including camping and caravanning around NSW. “The change will apply to towed caravans and purpose-built camper trailers weighing up to 4.5 tonnes, putting a saving of up to $471 back into the pockets of hard working families across the state,” Ms Pavey said. Customers will still be required to pay the standard NSW registration fees including the annual fee of $65. For more information, visit www.rms.nsw.gov.au. SYDNEY SCORES A MUSICAL TRIFECTANSW has once again demonstrated it is the home of musical theatre, with the ultimate trifecta of blockbuster productions secured to open in Sydney. Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall and Minister for the Arts Don Harwin said Chicago, Saturday Night Fever and the Australian premiere of Waitress have been secured by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW. “More than 60,400 visitors are expected to travel to Sydney to see the productions in 2019 and 2020, and deliver $28.8 million in visitor expenditure for NSW.” Mr Harwin said the NSW Government is bringing a world-class showcase of musical theatre to Australia’s premier events State. “As we look forward to an exciting new theatre development at Ultimo this news is music to the ears of this vibrant cultural sector.” Chicago and the Australian premiere of Waitress will open at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in 2019 and 2020 respectively. Saturday Night Fever will open at the Capitol Theatre in 2019. WORLD FIRST FOR GOLFERS WITH A DISABILITYThe Australian All Abilities Championship will debut at this year’s Australian Open, with 12 elite golfers with a disability playing for world rankings points on the same course as the world’s best golfers. The Emirates Australian Open is supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW and will be held from November 15 – 18 at The Lakes Golf Club. Click here for more information. NEW CONTRACT FOR TOURISM ACTIVITIES ON THE SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGEThe contract for tourism activities on the Sydney Harbour Bridge will change hands ushering in a new era for the historic landmark. Hammons Holdings Pty Ltd, the operators of Scenic World in the Blue Mountains, have been awarded a 20-year contract to operate the internationally renowned Sydney Harbour bridge climb attraction. BridgeClimb has welcomed four million climbers from over 140 countries since opening in 1998. The new contract term will start from 1 October 2018. A TOUCH OF ARNHEM |