The city of Sydney will shine brighter in 2016 with VIVID festival extending for a further five nights, making it a 23 night-long affair.
With a record breaking 1.7 million people visiting the lights in 2015 and 117,000 of these coming from interstate and overseas, the extension is set to bring even more tourism to Sydney.
Minister for trade, tourism and events, Stuart Ayres, said that the fast growth of the festival is incredible.
“The festival has been instrumental in reinforcing Sydney as the creative industries’ hub in the Asia-Pacific region and transforming a traditionally quiet visitor period into one of the year’s busiest, delivering a record $63.2 million in visitor expenditure to NSW last year.”
“Expanding the festival to 23 nights is a significant opportunity for our State’s creative, live performance and hospitality businesses as well as the travel industry to extend the positive benefits Vivid Sydney brings to the visitor economy,” Mr Ayres said.
The festival has been successful in attracting conference and incentive groups to Sydney during the traditionally quiet winter period – a major boost for the hotel sector.
Tourism Accommodation Australia’s CEO, Carol Giuseppi said that with up to 20 new hotel and serviced apartment projects on the rise, tourist-demand events such as VIVID are crucial in justifying such a large investment involving all levels of accommodation across the city.
“The development of the new International Convention Centre and expansion of innovative festivals like Vivid will contribute significantly to Sydney’s ability to win major events, conferences and general tourism business against other cities in the Asia Pacific region,” she added.
Expanding the festival will give visitors and tourists more time to experience the spectacular light, music and ideas that grace the Harbour and bring life to the city over the winter.
VIVID Sydney will run from Friday 27th May to Saturday 18th June this year.
Photo Credit – James Horan/Destination NSW
