Insights - 18 March 2022
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VIVID SYDNEY UNVEILS ITS BIGGEST, BRIGHTEST,
MOST BRILLIANT PROGRAM YET
The program for Vivid Sydney 2022 has been revealed and it will transform the Harbour City from Friday 27 May to Saturday 18 June, with more than 200 events embracing the soul of our city, celebrating its diversity, resilience, Aboriginal culture and creative community.
The 2022 Festival program features:
- More than 200 events and artworks
- 50 dazzling light installations and 3D projection artworks
- 111 eclectic music events
- 87 thought-provoking ideas talks and immersive workshops.
Vivid Sydney’s Ideas program features global storytellers whose narratives filter throughout our society. The line-up includes Oscar and Emmy award-winning writer and director Aaron Sorkin, women’s rights advocate Gretchen Carlson, and Australian superstar Troye Sivan.
This year, Vivid Music takes a deep dive into Sydney’s diverse and dynamic music communities, showcasing potent artistic talent. Live music can be enjoyed at cultural institutions and traditional venue spaces, including Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House and Carriageworks and includes free outdoor concerts among the Vivid Light Walk.
Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade, Minister for Tourism and Sport and Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres this week launched the program for Vivid Sydney 2022 with Festival Director Gill Minervini.
Mr Ayres said: “Vivid Sydney provides Sydneysiders and visitors the chance to enjoy and celebrate the city through a sensory symphony of 3D-light projections, exhilarating live music performances and discussions from the world’s brightest minds.
“The world-famous Light Walk will stretch a record 8km from the Sydney Opera House to Central Station, linking light installations from the Sydney Opera House to Central Station.
“If you think you’ve experienced Vivid Sydney before, think again. This year’s program contains new venues, cutting edge artists, immersive events, unmissable performances, and sensational experiences. The ideas are fresh, big, and bold.”
Ms Minervini said: “This compelling story of creativity, innovation, and technology told through light, music, and ideas is distinguishably Sydney, yet authentically universal."
Vivid Sydney is owned, managed, and produced by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
In 2019 the Festival attracted a record 2.4 million attendees and delivered $172 million in visitor expenditure to the NSW economy.
For more information on the Vivid Sydney 2022 program go to www.vividsydney.com.
GREAT SOUTHERN NIGHTS GETS THE SHOW
BACK ON THE ROAD
Great Southern Nights kicks off tonight and runs until 10 April, bringing a three-week celebration of live music to hundreds of venues across Sydney and NSW.
The NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, in partnership with the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), launched Great Southern Nights this morning at one of Sydney’s favourite live music venues, Oxford Art Factory.
Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade, Minister for Tourism and Sport, and Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said: “I encourage everyone to check the gig guide and enjoy a night out to show support for all the musicians, roadies and businesses that have done it tough over the past two years. Let's get the show back on the road!”
Mr Ayres and ARIA Chief Operating Officer Lynne Small attended the launch, alongside feature artist Crooked Colours and Haiku Hands.
Tonight’s performers include Thirsty Merc, The Church and The Veronicas, with Amy Shark, Adam Harvey and Confidence Man also taking the stage over the weekend. Crooked Colours will play at The Metro on 19 March, with Haiku Hands heading to the venue on 9 April.
Lead singer Phil Slabber said: “The last few years have been incredibly difficult. We have fortunately been able to use the time to write and record new music, but for our team and crew that rely so heavily on performance income it has been truly devastating. We are looking forward to this show with Great Southern Nights, which will be our first unrestricted headline show in over two years, so it will be a very special moment.”
INDUSTRY CELEBRATES CRUISE SHIP BAN LIFTING
Australia is lifting its entry ban on international cruise ships next month, allowing their return from 17 April 2022.
In 2019, Australia welcomed more than 600,000 cruise ship passengers from almost 350 vessels. Prior to the pandemic, the cruise sector contributed $5.2 billion to the Australian economy and supported more than 18,000 jobs.
Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan said: “This is great news for the cruise industry, tourism, the broader economy and the Australians who love to take a cruise holiday. The resumption of cruising is another key step forward in the tourism sector’s recovery from COVID-19."
International cruise ships will still need to meet all state and territory public health requirements of the jurisdiction into which they berth. Cruise industry mandates, including requiring passengers be vaccinated, implementation of appropriate operating and outbreak management plans, and COVID-19 safety plans, will also help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission aboard cruise ships.
Tourism Accommodation Australia CEO Michael Johnson said after two years of large international cruise vessels being barred from Australia, accommodation providers could look forward to the return of tens of thousands of cruise passengers who will soon disembark in ports around the country.
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Managing Director Australasia Joel Katz said: “The announcement is a huge breakthrough for more than 18,000 Australians who depend on cruise tourism, including travel agents, tour operators, food and produce providers, entertainers, port workers and many other industry suppliers.”
Tourism & Transport Forum Australia CEO Margie Osmond said: “Cruise ships are a vital part of regional tourism bringing visitors to coastal centres such as Eden in NSW and providing a boost for local tourism operators and producers, which has been a significant gap in those local economies over 2020 and 2021. It will be a wonderful sight to see ships off our coast and bringing visitors again."
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Andrew McKellar said: “While a restart to the cruise industry takes months of planning, with staffing, catering and ship storage all to be considered, a firm restart date means that the cruise industry can finally begin to recover."
VENUES ANNOUNCED FOR SYDNEY SUPER CUP
Sydney has kicked another goal as Australia’s home of football with the new Sydney Football Stadium, Accor Stadium and CommBank Stadium set to host the historic first installment of the Sydney Super Cup from 16–20 November. The new four-team mini-series will feature Sydney FC, Western Sydney Wanderers and Scottish rivals Celtic FC and Rangers FC. Tickets are now on sale.
PARKES ELVIS FESTIVAL SEEKS VOLUNTEERS
Are you an Elvis fan or do you just like fancy dress? Parkes Elvis Festival is looking for volunteers across all aspects of the event, including set-up, assisting attendees and transportation. Festival director Tiffany Steele said: “We have more than 100 volunteer roles to fill and each one plays an important part. If you have specific interests, we can place you in a role to get on-the-job experience.”
TWO NSW FINALISTS IN BANKSIA SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AWARDS
Two Snowy Valleys businesses, Highfield Farm and Woodland and Kestrel Nest EcoHut, are finalists in the Banksia Foundation Sustainable Tourism Awards. The build of Kestrel Nest EcoHut was supported by Destination NSW through the 2018-19 Regional Tourism Fund. While this is the 33rd year of the Sustainability Awards, it is the first time that the category of Sustainable Tourism has been judged. The winners will be announced on 31 March 2022.
$16 MILLION ENTERTAINMENT BOOST FOR NSW CBDS
Weekend night markets, pop up performances and a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party family festival are among 25 events and activations sharing more than $16 million from the second round of the NSW Government’s CBDs Revitalisation Program across Greater Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle. The funding will help stage activities between March to May. Round three of the CBDs Revitalisation Program will open for applications later in March.
QANTAS A380 FIRST CLASS TAKES OFF AGAIN
Qantas is reinstating its full First Class offering at the end of this month, both on the ground and in the air. The number of premium seats have been increased on the aircraft and the cabins have been refurbished. From 27 March, Qantas will also reopen its Sydney and Melbourne International Business Lounges, as more passengers take to the skies and revert its First Lounges in Australia, which operated as hybrid First/Business Lounges during the pandemic, to the full premium offering.
SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE LIGHTS UP
Head to Sydney Harbour Bridge until March 20 to see it come alive with a spectacular display of nearly 50,000 LED pixels illuminating the upper and lower arches and road deck on both eastern and western faces from 8pm to 11pm. The eastern pylons will be emblazoned with a tribute to its history. The display will pay respects to the traditional custodians of the lands on which the bridge was built, the Gadigal and Cammeraygal people. It will also celebrate how it continues to unite Sydneysiders and visitors.
NSW SENIORS FESTIVAL KICKS OFF NEXT WEEK
The NSW Seniors Festival returns from 25 March and will include four Premier’s Gala Concerts from 30-31 March, with performances by Human Nature’s Phil Burton, Christine Anu, Shannon Noll, Emma Pask, Gary Pinto and The Diamonds. A NSW Seniors Festival Expo will be held next door to the concerts at ICC Sydney. The expo will feature more than 50 exhibitors, giveaways, live entertainment and more. NSW Seniors Festival will also host more than 140 activities across the state.
POPULAR BLUE MOUNTAINS SITE REOPENS
After thousands of hours of painstaking work, one of the Blue Mountains most popular walking tracks has reopened to visitors after being damaged in the 2019/20 bushfires. The picturesque Popes Glen track at Blackheath has been rebuilt by the National Parks and Wildlife Service to withstand future challenges. Another major track-building project, the revitalisation of the 20km Grand Cliff Top Walk, spanning the escarpment from Wentworth Falls to Katoomba, is due for completion in 2023.
ACCOR STADIUM'S NEW GREAT SOUTHERN SCREEN UNVEILED
Accor Stadium’s Great Southern Screen has been switched on ahead of a blockbuster schedule of events. The screen is part of more than $10 million of digital upgrades throughout the venue. At 120 metres long and 10 metres high, it stretches around the entire southern end of the Stadium and is the longest high-definition straight-run stadium video display anywhere in the world. Minister for Tourism and Sport Stuart Ayres said: “We are continuing to invest in Sydney’s major event venue to ensure the people of NSW are given the best live stadium experience in Australia."
Image: Phil Hillyard
APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR 2022 PAT DIXON SCHOLARSHIP
Applications are open for the Cr Pat Dixon Memorial Scholarship 2022, which assists Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander councillors and council employees to undertake further study, professional development or research. In 1983, Cr Pat Dixon became the first Aboriginal person to be elected to Local Government in NSW. She spent 17 years at Armidale City Council, working tirelessly throughout that time to increase participation of other Aboriginal councillors and staff in Local Government.
Pictured: 2021 Pat Dixon Scholarship winner Kerryann Stanley, from Dubbo Regional Council.
VALE UNCLE MAX
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers should be aware that this article and video contain images and names of deceased persons.
A memorial service has been held for Uncle Max Harrison. An Elder of the Yuin Nation, Uncle Max was a cultural advisor, knowledge holder and teacher. He paved a way for many Aboriginal communities to embrace and benefit from tourism and was proud of his work for NSW Aboriginal Tourism Operators Council, which gives voice to Aboriginal-owned tourism enterprises and mentors aspiring Aboriginal tourism entrepreneurs. Minister for Tourism Stuart Ayres, who paid tribute to Uncle Max's legacy in a video message that was played during the memorial service, said it was one that would ensure the journey of future mentors in NSW Aboriginal tourism begins today, tomorrow and every day thereafter.
NZ BORDER REOPENING
New Zealand has brought forward plans to reopen its borders to international travellers. Australians will be allowed to enter the country without needing to quarantine or isolate from 13 April 2022. Fully vaccinated travellers from about 60 countries on a visa-waiver list will be able to arrive in New Zealand from 2 May. Pre-COVID-19, New Zealand was Australia’s second largest market in terms of visitor numbers (1.4 million) and fourth in terms of visitor spend ($2.6 billion). Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan said: “The return of quarantine free travel to New Zealand for Australians is an important step towards the full reopening of New Zealand’s borders, which is so important to the tourism industries in both countries. It will make a holiday in Australia more attractive to tourists all over the world, who can include New Zealand in their travel plans as well."
VISITOR ECONOMY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW VISUAL ARTS COMMISSIONING PROGRAM: Artists, groups, arts and cultural organisations, collecting organisations and philanthropists across the state can now apply for up to $100,000 in funding to commission ambitious new work through the NSW Government’s $1 million Visual Arts Commissioning Program. Read more
CELEBRATE STAKES DAY AT AUSTRALIAN TURF CLUB: A Taste of the Southern Highlands food and cool climate wines will feature at Stakes Day on 26 March 2022. Read more
GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE NSW FINALISTS IN THE 2021 AUSTRALIAN TOURISM AWARDS: The ceremony is taking place tonight at the Novotel Sunshine Coast Convention Centre in Queensland. Read more
CORROBOREE FROGS RETURN HOME: One hundred critically endangered Southern Corroboree Frogs have been reintroduced to their native habitat at Kosciuszko National Park as part of the NSW Government’s Saving our Species program. Read more
FOLLOW DESTINATION NSW ON LINKEDIN: Stay up to date with all the latest Destination NSW initiatives by following us on LinkedIn. Click here
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