Tourism Set to Cash In On Big Summer For International Sport

An unprecedented summer of international sport is set to boost Canberra's tourist numbers after a major decline in business stays and spending in the past year.

With seven Asian Cup football games including a quarter final, three cricket World Cup games and an extra one day International in November, Canberra's tourism boss expected locals to be joined by a mass of regional and international visitors for the sporting feast.

VisitCanberra director Ian Hill said it would be the strongest summer of sport the city had enjoyed. 

"Two absolutely world class events, and I certainly know tickets for those cricket World Cup games have been selling really well."

The National Visitor Survey released last month showed visitor nights were down 790,000 in the domestic business sector for the year to June, a drop of 37.5 per cent. Overall domestic nights were down 16.4 per cent and expenditure down 11.4 per cent, or $14 million. 

International visitor nights also fell 12 per cent, or 570,000 nights, in the same period, with expenditure down 6 per cent.

Mr Hill said the tourism authority was working closely with hoteliers and organisations elsewhere to help them package and promote events.  

"One of those [Asian Cup] games is a China [vs] Korea game; China don't play in Sydney and there's a big group of Chinese background people who live in Sydney, so we're working with some of the multicultural media in Sydney," he said. 

The tourism chief said the key to maximising the windfall for Canberra was ensuring visitors saw other attractions  during their stay, and a rejuvenated cultural and hotel scene would help.

"Places like Braddon are important, Lonsdale Street Roasters is an important place, New Acton, and with new hotels like Hotel Hotel, Peppers has just rebranded, we've seen QT do a fit out at Rydges, the Kurrajong is about to reopen after being refitted – a great location for visitors in the Parliamentary Triangle. I think visitors are seeing a new side of Canberra," Mr Hill said. 

Mr Hill said stories on last week's OECD finding that Canberra was the world's best city to live in,  trumpeted in the New York Times and elsewhere, helped spread the word. 

The Australian Hotels Association ACT recently told ABC TV that occupancy rates were at about 65 per cent, down from the same time last year, but investment was strong, with another 500-600 hotel rooms available by mid-next year. 

Miley Cyrus in Sydney | What a Tongue Twister

Past the poster of Henry V walked Miley Cyrus in a shimmering green boxer's robe, primed for the fight and accompanied by the breakfast show's weather person (In leopard print leggings. 

At breakfast. On television – and people say Miley dresses shockingly), and thence to the stage set up on the northern forecourt of the Opera House.

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers and sisters who had risen pre-dawn to see the twerking, tongue-twisting, tabloid-taunting Cyrus, waited with the rising sun on our backs. Among us were several dressed like her: more men than women so attired it must be said, and not an eyelash out of place on any of the gentlemen. (No doubt inspiring yon Miley to think, as she peered through a forest of phones held high, "It yearns me not if men my garments wear/Such outward things dwell not in my desires".)

Scattered through were high school uniforms, a few pre-teens and no shortage of mothers. Real mothers too; not the type of "motherf...ers" which some reports had Cyrus referring to more than 30 times during her Melbourne concert at the weekend. 

If those mothers were bracing themselves for similar language and performance – the type of legs splayed, crotch-rubbing, drug-referencing on-stage activities which earned terms such as gynaecological and scatological – they needn't have worried.

Save for a "good f---ing morning to you guys" and a bit of hip thrusting later, when the green robe was shucked and the orange and pink leotard was allowed its moment in the sun, Cyrus was by most standards respectable, even tame.

Her singing was not merely respectable though: a powerful and more than capable voice ringing true and genuinely live. Likewise, her responses to the familiar questions lobbed at her by the two slightly awkward (as ever when a teen pop star is patronised/promoted in equal measure) Sunrise hosts were considered and a step above pat answers.

With the Harbour Bridge as a backdrop, a Madame Tussauds model of Cyrus – which for a change actually looked something like the original – set up at the back of the crowd and the bonus of a song after the cameras switched off (Coldplay's The Scientist), you could hardly complain. Unless, of course, you wanted more sinner than saint on stage.

Still, in the telling and retelling in years to come no doubt the gentlemen and women in Australia still a-bed would think themselves accursed they were not here while ever any speaks who stood by the water with us on St Miley's day.

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Miley Cyrus in Sydney | What a Tongue Twister

Past the poster of Henry V walked Miley Cyrus in a shimmering green boxer's robe, primed for the fight and accompanied by the breakfast show's weather person (In leopard print leggings. 

At breakfast. On television – and people say Miley dresses shockingly), and thence to the stage set up on the northern forecourt of the Opera House.

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers and sisters who had risen pre-dawn to see the twerking, tongue-twisting, tabloid-taunting Cyrus, waited with the rising sun on our backs. Among us were several dressed like her: more men than women so attired it must be said, and not an eyelash out of place on any of the gentlemen. (No doubt inspiring yon Miley to think, as she peered through a forest of phones held high, "It yearns me not if men my garments wear/Such outward things dwell not in my desires".)

Scattered through were high school uniforms, a few pre-teens and no shortage of mothers. Real mothers too; not the type of "motherf...ers" which some reports had Cyrus referring to more than 30 times during her Melbourne concert at the weekend. 

If those mothers were bracing themselves for similar language and performance – the type of legs splayed, crotch-rubbing, drug-referencing on-stage activities which earned terms such as gynaecological and scatological – they needn't have worried.

Save for a "good f---ing morning to you guys" and a bit of hip thrusting later, when the green robe was shucked and the orange and pink leotard was allowed its moment in the sun, Cyrus was by most standards respectable, even tame.

Her singing was not merely respectable though: a powerful and more than capable voice ringing true and genuinely live. Likewise, her responses to the familiar questions lobbed at her by the two slightly awkward (as ever when a teen pop star is patronised/promoted in equal measure) Sunrise hosts were considered and a step above pat answers.

With the Harbour Bridge as a backdrop, a Madame Tussauds model of Cyrus – which for a change actually looked something like the original – set up at the back of the crowd and the bonus of a song after the cameras switched off (Coldplay's The Scientist), you could hardly complain. Unless, of course, you wanted more sinner than saint on stage.

Still, in the telling and retelling in years to come no doubt the gentlemen and women in Australia still a-bed would think themselves accursed they were not here while ever any speaks who stood by the water with us on St Miley's day.

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Sydney Craft Beer Week

The week will see a variety of events available that suits every craft beer lovers taste

Who needs Oktoberfest? Craft Beer Week returns in October

Sure Germany has Oktoberfest, but this October, Sydney will be flowing with Craft Beer as Sydney Craft Beer Week (SCBW) returns bigger, better and tastier for its fourth year.

Over 40 of Sydney's leading venues will host the city's largest celebration of Craft Beer, with more than 100 events happening from October 18-26, 2014.

Event dates: 18/10/2014 - 26/10/2014

Sydney Craft Beer Week offers experienced Craft Beer connoisseurs, as well as newcomers to the scene, the opportunity to experience all that the Craft Beer community has to offer.

Visitors and Sydneysiders alike will let their taste buds do the talking as they travel between craft breweries, pubs, restaurants, galleries and pop-up installations over the packed week-long event.

Sydney Craft Beer Week returns in October for the 4th year.

"Though we've grown faster than we ever imagined, we're proud the event still has a local and relatable feel, giving everyone attending a sense of ownership of these locally produced craft beers," said Sydney Craft Beer Week director (and passionate craft beer consumer) Joel Connolly.
"In a way, there is a definite form of community spirit and kinship built and celebrated during the festival, as we give craft beer a much deserved time to shine."

The festivities for the Sydney Craft Beer Week will kick off with a bang (or would that be a pop and a light, bubbly fizz) at a Gala Event on Friday October 17th at The Giant Dwarf Theatre. The week's opening night Gala will get beer fans prepped for a week of tantalising experiences, with over 25 Australian and International breweries showing off their craft (pun intended), as electrifying live music keeps the party going.

The festival will feature plenty of sampling and education opportunities for craft beer veterans and newbies alike.

The celebrations will continue throughout the week, as enthusiasts will be invited to attend numerous events – a mix of free and paid opportunities – to enjoy one-off beers, educational seminars, tap takeovers, beer high teas as well as a tantalising four course beergustation of the highest quality where each course is served with an accompanying beer (matched to the meal's core ingredient) at the Blackrock Brasserie Beergustation Experiment. If this doesn't have your mouth watering, nothing will.

The Sydney Craft Beer Week is gearing up to be one of the highlights of the Sydney social calendar, so save the date and prepare yourself for an unforgettable beer-fuelled experience.

To check out the full program of events visit the website.

By Gwen O’Toole View Source