Tourism NSW

State Plan Priority P1: Increase Tourism Visitation to NSW

Iemma Government spokesperson for World Youth Day, Kristina Keneally, and Minister for Tourism, Matt Brown, today encouraged Sydneysiders hosting young visitors for World Youth Day (WYD) 2008 to become tourism ambassadors for the city and take advantage of some great website savings.

¡§With thousands of NSW families opening their doors to host the youth of the world in a week¡¦s time, I¡¦m throwing out the challenge to the people of Sydney to make sure they see as much as possible of our wonderful city and its beautiful surrounding regions during their stay,¡¨ Mr Brown said.

¡§Word of mouth and personal recommendation is the best marketing tool in any language, and we want Sydney families to help us showcase their favourite parts of our city to these young people, in the hope that we can entice them to come back again to work, study or holiday.¡¨

Ms Keneally said World Youth Day 2008 will be held at venues across Sydney from July 15-20, and features the first visit of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to Australia.

¡§Attracting more than 125,000 visitors from 170 nations, and a further 100,000 from around Australia, WYD 2008 will be the biggest event ever staged in Australia,¡¨ Ms Keneally said.

¡§The week long celebration is the largest youth gathering in the world and the largest world event outside of the Olympics this year.

¡§This is more than just a festival for those involved ¡V it¡¦s another opportunity for Sydney to show the sights, sounds, open arms and enthusiasm that¡¦s its famous for.

¡§Sydney is the best city in the world, and we do major events better than anywhere in the world. World Youth Day will take it up a notch once again.¡¨

Mr Brown said that Tourism NSW has done a great job in ensuring visitors to Sydney have a variety of activities available to them, and that the World Youth Day pages on Sydney.com are the essential one-stop shop for:

• Discount offers from a host of attractions and restaurant providers in Sydney and regional NSW starting from as low as $10. Eg.
o 20% off food and drinks* at the Front Restaurant, Sebel Pier One Sydney, Walsh Bay
o Ride on a Jet Boat "Thrill Ride" on Sydney Harbour at the price of a child*.