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A MESSAGE FROM DESTINATION NSW
Destination NSW Chief Executive Officer Steve Cox has provided a message to industry from the Hunter Valley today, as part of his state-wide tour across regional NSW.
Mr Cox said it was great to speak with locals and operators on the ground and hear that while the year has been challenging, we have every reason to be optimistic about the road ahead.
“This week has been the first of many regional visits and it’s fantastic to know that our operators are keeping positive about the future of the NSW visitor economy,” he said.
“The welcome news of South Australia reopening its borders with NSW indicates we are turning a corner, and Destination NSW continues to focus on driving demand for the unique experiences Sydney and regional NSW have to offer.
“Now’s the time for all of us to get behind our local tourism operators – and the best way is to book an overnight hotel stay, eat out at a restaurant, shop at a regional store or book a local tour or experience.”
This week the Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres launched the Love NSW map – an interactive tool that inspires travellers to explore, plan, share and book experiences from across Sydney and NSW.
The map, which includes all Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW) listed businesses, allows travellers to search for and identify tourism experiences based on a theme or three hours’ drive of a selected location.
Destination NSW this week also launched a series of new Sydney Playcation itineraries, highlighting the luxury, family, outdoor adventure, foodie, culture, romance and wellness experiences on offer across the CBD and Greater Sydney.
For more information on the Love NSW map, click here. For further information on the Sydney Playcation itineraries, click here.
NSW SECURES THE RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP 2020 MATCHES
NSW continues to reinforce its profile as a globally renowned destination for staging international sporting events, with the majority of The Rugby Championship 2020 confirmed to take place across the state.
The NSW Government, through Destination NSW, has secured five of the six double-header rounds of The Rugby Championships 2020, which will see Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and South Africa compete over a six-week tournament.
This will include the highly coveted Australia vs. New Zealand Bledisloe Cup match at Stadium Australia on 12 December 2020, with the remaining matches to be played at Bankwest Stadium in Western Sydney and McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the announcement reinforces the NSW Government’s commitment to growing events across the state as a crucial means to helping rebuild the NSW visitor economy.
“Securing this highly-anticipated international sporting series reaffirms Sydney and NSW’s reputation as Australia’s sporting capital, and delivers broader benefits for the state’s economy,” Mr Ayres said.
“The Rugby Championship is the jewel in the crown of Southern Hemisphere Rugby, so I am particularly delighted that the NSW Government has secured such a fantastic addition to our major events calendar that will have a tremendous impact on our tourism and sporting industries."
Tickets go on sale from 8 October. For more information on the series and to purchase tickets, go to www.rugby.com.au.
GREATER CAPACITY AT THEATRES, CINEMAS AND CORPORATE EVENTS
Entertainment facilities including theatres, cinemas and concert halls across NSW will be able to increase their capacity to 50 per cent and corporate events at function centres will be able to welcome up to 300 attendees from next week.
The Premier’s Major Events Taskforce has agreed theatre, cinema and concert goers can return to entertainment venues in greater numbers and that corporate events at function centres can increase attendance, provided venues have COVID-safe plans and adhere to public health requirements.
Minister for the Arts Don Harwin said this is a major step forward to recovery for the performing arts sector, with entertainment facilities now able to sell tickets for seated events at 50 per cent of capacity, to a maximum of 1,000 tickets.
“For workers across the full spectrum of the performing arts – from box office staff to ushers, from technicians and roadies to the artists – this change means more jobs,” Mr Harwin said.
The changes mean a boost to box office revenues for the hundreds of theatres, cinemas and concert halls across the state. For some it means reopening their doors.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said getting more people into entertainment venues and function centres was key to re-starting the NSW visitor economy.
“Function centres will now be able to host up to whichever is the lesser of 300 people or one person per four square metres for a corporate event. It’s vitally important for the business community to get back on its feet by being able to collaborate and share ideas in person once again”. The limit of 300 people is an increase from the current limit of 150 for corporate events,” Mr Ayres said.
The NSW Government has supported the arts and cultural sector throughout the pandemic with support packages such as the $6.34 million support for arts, screen and cultural organisations as well as the $50 million Rescue and Restart package.
LAUNCH OF COVID-SAFE SUMMER PLAN
A new plan announced this week will ensure NSW residents can get out and about this summer in a COVID-safe way, while keeping the economy moving.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes, Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello, Member for Manly James Griffin and NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant outlined the NSW Government’s new COVID-Safe Summer Plan on Monday.
The Plan supports local businesses by encouraging more outdoor dining in the lead up to the Christmas-New Year period and throughout the summer months. It also provides clear instructions to help keep COVID under control as residents enjoy the warmer months.
“We know how much our community loves fresh air, beaches and parklands, but we will all need to do that a bit differently this summer,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“The COVID-Safe Summer Plan encourages the community and local businesses to take advantage of our glorious warm weather while using public spaces safely."
The Plan has five pillars which will help support the current public health orders, rules and regulations:
- Marking out safe distancing in our parklands and highly visited public spaces from the beginning of October,
- Encouraging beachgoers to ‘Keep a beach towel length between you’ and anyone not from the same household,
- Running a COVID-safe summer program of events in our parklands and public spaces,
- Encouraging local businesses to take advantage of outdoor dining, and
- Partnering with councils on a ‘new local’ campaign, to showcase alternative public spaces for the community to enjoy.
The COVID-Safe Summer Plan can be accessed here.
ATEC ALIGNS WITH WTTC SAFE TRAVEL PROTOCOLS
The Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) has aligned with the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) in becoming a lead agency with authority to issue Australian tourism businesses with the globally recognised ‘Safe Travel’ stamp.
The stamp has been developed by the global travel and tourism industry body to recognise businesses which adopt standardised health and hygiene protocols. ATEC has incorporated the Safe Travel branding, designed as a recognisable health and safety trademark for consumers globally, into its COVID Ready Program.
ATEC Managing Director Peter Shelley said, “ATEC has developed the rigorous, sector specific ‘COVID Ready’ program which aligns with the standards defined by the WTTC. The ATEC program enables tourism businesses to identify COVID risk points within the customer journey and implement risk management solutions, all of which are captured in a COVID Ready Plan aligned with state and national regulatory requirements.”
“ATEC has incorporated the WTTC Safe Travels branding as part of our Tourism Trade Checklist which recognises businesses who have completed and uploaded a COVID Ready Plan. The WTTC Safe Travel global branding is another level of recognition which will assist Australian tourism businesses to stand out in the international marketplace.”
Over the past few months ATEC has been developing a comprehensive strategy to meet the needs of the industry and expectations of the global traveller once international borders open.
For further information, click here.
NEW SNOWY VALLEYS TOURISM VIDEO
A new promotional film inviting and encouraging holidaymakers and day-trippers to visit the Snowy Valleys was launched last week.
The four-minute short film captures the spirit of the region, and is aimed to emotionally connect with viewers, showcasing a region that was ravaged by bushfires but is bursting back to life.
Snowy Valleys Council Mayor James Hayes said, “The film is about letting the wider population know that despite the challenges we suffered in the summer bushfires, and then further with COVID-19 restrictions, our region and its businesses are open again and ready to welcome COVID safe visitors.”
The film shows the many attractions and vistas that the Snowy Valleys is becoming well-known for including hiking, biking, boating, fishing, the freshest tastes direct from the farm gate, award winning wines, and the natural beauty of the landscapes.
The visit Snowy Valleys film captialises on Destination NSW’s current Love NSW campaign.
To view the promotional film, which was funded as part of the NSW Government’s New Council Implementation Fund, click here.
PORT STEPHENS KOALA SANCTUARY SET TO OPEN
The Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary will open to the public tomorrow, thanks to a partnership between Port Stephens Council and Port Stephens Koalas - a volunteer group that cares for sick, injured and orphaned koalas.
Visitors to the Sanctuary will be able to enjoy a range of experiences including –
Sanctuary Story Walk — a 250 metre pathway offering an immersive educational experience for all ages telling the story of koala and its habitat through artistic sculptural representations.
Koala Hospital — visit the state-of-the-art Koala Hospital with Intensive Care Unit treatment rooms and holding pens.
The Newcastle Airport SKYwalk and viewing platform – offering a unique ‘tree top’ perspective into the koala’s natural habitat.
Fat Possum Café — offering a range of ‘grab and go’ eats and treats.
Deluxe 4 star accommodation — wake up with koalas! An opportunity to stay overnight in a 4 star glamping style tent within the Sanctuary grounds.
For more information on the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary, click here.
READ TIM ROSS'S LOVE LETTER TO SYDNEY
Media identity and culture commentator, Tim Ross has shared his love for Australia’s iconic harbour city in Qantas Travel Insider, the first NSW destination to be featured as part of a special series of video content that stars NSW advocates including Rick Stein, Edwina Bartholomew and Myffy Rigby.
The video series, developed in collaboration with Destination NSW, will reach an audience of more than 7.3 million across Qantas Travel Insider, Qantas and Tim Ross’s social channels and additional distribution partners which in development.
As part of the series, four Sydney video and feature stories covering food, architecture, art and culture, as well as destination focused pieces on the Blue Mountains, Mollymook and Capertee will be shared over the coming weeks.
NEW FLOATING RESTAURANT FOR SYDNEY
Captain Cook Cruises has launched Harbour Bar & Restaurant, the city’s first ever hop-on hop-off floating pub and dining experience.
Once a boat purpose-built for sightseeing and overseas visitors, Captain Cook’s flagship vessel Sydney 2000 has received a unique facelift with two distinct experiences spread across an upper and lower deck.
The new Harbour Bar concept will be open from 12pm to 10:30pm each day, stopping in 90-minute intervals at King Street Wharf, Darling Harbour and Circular Quay both collecting and disembarking guests.
The Harbour Bar and Restaurant delivers the perfect blend of relaxed but stylish ambience, with fresh local produce and spectacular views.
For more information, click here.
VISIT SCENIC WORLD THESE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
Scenic World is welcoming visitors to the Blue Mountains this season with reduced capacity so that everyone is on a fast-track ticket these school holidays.
Scenic World ticks all the right boxes for a memorable staycation, serving up breathtaking views and world class open-air rides, just 90 minutes from Sydney.
Due to physical distancing, the Scenic World experience now includes all open-air attractions in a pre-approved circuit, called the Scenic Route. The attraction also has reduced its capacity by more than 50% as part of its extensive COVID-safe plan.
Scenic World is open every day of the school holidays, except 9 October. Online bookings are essential with timed ticket entry for all guests.
