Head to Hong Kong for a try

THE world’s greatest rugby players will descend on the vibrant city of Hong Kong for the forty-third #Rugby Sevens tournament in April. The roar of more than 120,000 passionate spectators will engulf the stadium to create an electric atmosphere as international teams battle it out for glory and honour. 

The three day event will be held at Hong Kong’s largest outdoor sports venue, #HongKong Stadium. Located amongst the foothills in the south of Causeway Bay, the stadium delivers picturesque surrounds with easy access via the MTR (Hong Kong’s railway system), plus loads of surrounding restaurants and bars where visitors can refuel. But the party doesn’t stop there, the whole city embraces the excitement from fancy dress costumes to the Fan Zone in Central and special dedicated events, it’s a Rugby fiesta.

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Website launched for rugby fans ahead of World Cup in 2019

JAPAN National Tourism Organization (JNTO) launched a brand new website to provide information to travellers for the #Rugby World Cup 2019 held across #Japan. The aim of the website is to highlight important details of the twelve host cities including access, local food and drink, places of interest and model itineraries. It is a great opportunity for rugby fans who are visiting each city for the games to explore the local area pre and post match. 

The site will also provide information on where each team is playing, the times and locations of each match plus general match venue details such as stadium access. JNTO will continue to add new information to expand the website as the official kick-off approaches , with the first game to be played in Tokyo between Japan and the winner of the Europe qualifiers on Friday, 20 September, 2019. 

Future additions include the most recent event news, details about fan zones and further sightseeing information. To learn more about the Rugby World Cup 2019’s Japanese host cities, please visit: visitjapan2019.com. The website is available in English, French and Italian. 

The Rugby World Cup 2019, Japan will be held from 20 September to 2 November, 2019, with the final match to be played at International Stadium Yokohama. 


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International figures peak thanks to British & Irish Lions tour

INTERNATIONAL visitor arrivals from the UK and Ireland peaked at 23,400 in June thanks to the British and Irish Lions tour.  It was the highest number of combined monthly visitors to New Zealand from both countries since the last tour in June 2005.

Tourism New Zealand’s Chief Executive Stephen England-Hall says, “The Lions tour was a demonstration of exactly what we are trying to achieve - visitors travelling to different parts of the country in our off-peak months.

“It’s also a great example of why we support major events like this which bring benefits to the New Zealand economy overall and to local communities that benefit from the influx of tourists.

“A big part of the Lions tour success was down to amazing Kiwi hospitality. The incredible welcome extended to the fans that travelled the country for six weeks was manaakitanga at its very best.”

The latest data released by Statistics New Zealand today also shows strong holiday arrivals growth on the previous year from Australia (9.7%), Indonesia (48.1%), Malaysia (53.6%) and Singapore (9.0%).

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Haka record goes international

THE world's biggest haka in Rotorua, organised as part of the nationwide festival of events for the DHL New Zealand Lions Series tour attracted extensive international media attention and was a huge hit with travelling fans.

More than 7,500 locals and Lions supporters gathered on Rotorua’s village green, chanting Ka mate, Ka mate, smashing the current world record set in France.*

Working with the International Rugby Club who masterminded the event as part of #Rugby 2017 Festival, Tourism #NewZealand funded drone footage and a video of the extraordinary event which then went out to international media.

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On The Ball

MORE than 20,000 fans and supporters are expected to touch down in New Zealand for the DHL #NewZealand #Lions2017 series next month and Tourism New Zealand has been working to make sure the visitors know what they can expect away from the rugby field.

The world’s best-selling rugby magazine, Rugby World has turned its focus on the tourism highlights fans can enjoy when the Lions Tour begins next month. The current issue features seven pages of travel highlights visitors can experience in the cities hosting matches during the six week tournament.

In a 36 page feature, the UK based Rugby World magazine provides detailed travel guides of the host cities: Auckland, Whangarei, Rotorua, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.

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New Zealands gears up to host the British & Irish Lions

SEVEN New Zealand cities, from north to south, will host the British & Irish Lions when they tour in 2017, and the much-anticipated #rugby action promises to attract more than 20,000 visitors.

Host cities will be Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua and Wellington, in the North Island – and Christchurch and Dunedin, in the South Island. The Lions Tour is the biggest sporting series to be held in #NewZealand since Rugby World Cup 2011.

New Zealand Rugby and the British & Irish Lions have agreed a programme of 10 matches during their 2017 series, kicking off in Whangarei, in the far north, on June 3 and finishing in Auckland on July 8.

Rugby aside June and July are winter months in New Zealand which brings snow, in the North Island are the volcanic peaks of Tongariro National Park with Whakapapa and Turoa Ski Areas. The South Island has great skiing at Queenstown, Wanaka and Mount Huttwhich means if Rugby isn't your thing there is always skiing.

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Rugby Regatta

WOODEN Spoon, the children’s charity of rugby, and #Sunsail, the leading sailing company in the UK, have formed an exciting partnership to launch a brand new and unique event for the world of #rugby.

The Wooden Spoon Regatta will take place on the September 28, 2017 with competitors racing on Sunsail’s fleet of 30 identical Beneteau First Match 40s.

A proportion of each entry fee for the regatta will include a donation to the charity. The money raised will go towards funding projects across the UK and Ireland that support children and young people with disabilities or facing disadvantage.

Competitors will also have the opportunity to upgrade their entry to an Ambassador Package, which will add a rugby or sailing legend to their team.

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Rugby World Cup 2019

MOMENTUM is building towards the Rugby World Cup 2019, which will be held in #Japan ahead of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics Games the following year in 2020. It is the first time that the #RugbyWorldCup will take place in Asia. 

The 12 stadium venues are spread throughout Japan from Sapporo City in the northernmost main island of Hokkaido right down to Kumamoto City in the south, there is also a healthy mix of stadium capacities ranging from 80,000 in Tokyo to 15,000 at Kamaishi City in Iwate Prefecture. The venues have been announced as;

• Sapporo Dome

• Kamaishi Unosumai Stadium

• Kumagaya Rugby Stadium

• Tokyo Stadium

• International Stadium Yokohama

• Ogasayama Sports Park Ecopa

• Toyota Stadium

• Hanazono Rugby Stadium

• Misaki Park Stadium

• Higashihirao Park Hakatanomori Stadium

• Kumamoto Prefectural Sports Park Track and Field Stadium

• Oita Stadium

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Kick off with Stena Line

STENA LINE is offering fans a variety of travel options for the opening match between Scotland and Ireland at Murrayfield Stadium. The RBS #SixNations #rugby championship starts on February 4 2017 and fans wanting to take a road trip to the match can travel by car from Belfast with the freedom to return any time up to 30 hours from arrival in Scotland.

Those wishing to leave the driving to someone else can score return travel on a Superfast ferry from Belfast to Cairnryan and coach transfers to and from Murrayfield stadium.

Stena Line also has a range of great value hotel breaks by car for those wishing to convert their trip into a weekend break and supporters can choose from a variety of hotels in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

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Rugby’s 2017 world cup kicks off

THE RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP 2017 (RLWC2017) has established its official travel office for the tournament which will be played out in Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea from October 27 to December 2 next year. 

Mummu Sport – a global sports travel and event company – is the official Master Travel Agent for the sport’s pinnacle international tournament and will operate the RLWC2017 travel office.

Said #RLWC2017 chief executive Michael Brown: ‘With less than 500 days until the opening game, the organising committee is entering an exciting phase in the delivery of the event. We will soon unveil the official tournament draw and release ticketing details and hospitality programmes for what we believe will be the greatest ever #Rugby League World Cup.

‘To have the Rugby League World Cup 2017 contested in three countries provides an exciting dimension to the tournament and we look forward to working with Mummu Sport on delivering a fan experience beyond expectation.’

A range of international and local packages will feature competitive airfare and accommodation deals, and include other exciting event elements such as VIP experiences, official merchandise, functions and hospitality events.

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Rugby World Cup drives tourism to UK

ON the back of a report showing the #Rugby World Cup 2015 was the most economically-successful ever, figures from VisitBritain show double-digit growth in the number of visits from Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa from October to December last year. 

Visits from New Zealand to the UK increased by 52 percent to more than 40,000 with the Kiwis spending more than £63 million during this period, more than twice as much as in 2014. Visits and spend from Australia both increased by 20 percent to 219,000 and £254 million respectively compared to the same period in 2014. And visits from South Africa were up by 30 per cent to 58,000 with spend up six percent to £77 million.

VisitBritain director Patricia Yates said: ‘Britain shone in the global spotlight as the host of the 2015 Rugby World Cup and it’s great to see the huge growth in visits and spend from some of the world’s top rugby-watching nations including Australia, our fourth most valuable market. Almost half a million international visitors attended matches and events across 11 host cities throughout the seven-week tournament which gave these areas global exposure, introducing new places to many overseas visitors.’

‘The Economic Impact of Rugby World Cup 2015’ report published Ernst and Young showed that the tournament generated almost £2.3 billion in economic output. The 406,000 international visitors for the RWC each stayed for 14 days in the UK, spending £958 million, at an average of £2,400 per person.

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Get ready for the Sydney 7s

WHEN they’re not watching Rugby World Cup matches, fans are preparing to converge on New South Wales for the #SydneySevens #Rugby in February.

Part of the HSBC Sevens World Series, the Sydney Sevens will see the world's greatest players from 16 countries meet to play 42 matches in two days (February 6-7).

With fast-paced play (statistically, a try is scored every 70 seconds in Sevens games), the fixture will be the last chance for the world's top-ranked teams to battle it out ahead of the sport's first appearance in the Rio Olympics in Rio.

Off-field entertainment will create a rich mix of partying and rugby for which the series is known. Fans wanting the full carnival experience should book tickets in the South Stand, the ultimate party zone in which fancy dress is a must.

Qantas Holidays is offering fans a variety of packages starting from A$445 per person.

www.packages.qantas.com/events/hsbc-sydney-7s
www.sydney.com/events/sydney-sevens 

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Ryanair looks head to the 6 Nations

RYANAIR is to add four extra flights between London and Edinburgh for the Scotland V England 6 Nations clash at Murrayfield in February. It has also scheduled extra flights for Italy V England in Rome on February 14.

Ryanair’s Robin Kiely says: ‘Missing out on the Rugby World Cup? Then plan your #6Nations adventure instead with Ryanair. We’re delighted to launch extra flights to Edinburgh and Rome for the 6 Nations Championship in February. These rugby specials will be snapped up quickly, so fans should log on to the Ryanair.com website and book their seats today.’

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BA offers free flights for kids during Rugby World Cup

CHILDREN under 12 will be able to fly #free from Heathrow to Newcastle and Leeds Bradford on British Airways (BA) flights during the #RugbyWorldCup.

The deal is available until November 1 to cover the duration of the event, making it easier for families to get to matches at St James’ Park, Elland Road, and Twickenham.

The #KidsFlyFree initiative follows the cut in Air Passenger Duty (APD) for under-12s from May and an extension of the tax cut to under-16s from May 2016

Dale Keller, chairman of the Fair Tax on Flying campaign, said: ‘This initiative is a great example of the benefit a cut in APD for children has brought to families across the country. The UK still has the highest air travel tax in the world – it is a barrier to boosting our tourism industry and a burden on hardworking families taking a well-deserved holiday.

‘The government should follow BA’s and Heathrow’s lead and put consumers first by further cutting this damaging tax.’

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/94882472@N07/8641269731">Sydney Treasures Photography</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

What’s England’s greatest sporting destination?

#VISITENGLAND has launched a search to find the country’s most popular sports destination. It’s asking sports fans to send in their nominations.

By submitting a picture of their “home of sport” – be it the Oval or a village cricket pitch – fans will help to locate the jewel in England’s sporting crown.

VisitEngland’s Chief Executive, James Berresford, explains: ‘As the birthplace of rugby, football, cricket, punting, and the modern Olympic Games, as the home of iconic venues such as Old Trafford, Wimbledon and Aintree, and the host to world-class sporting events, England’s sporting heritage is something that truly sets us apart from other destinations.’

To help find England’s sporting capital, upload a picture of your own home of sport to Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #HomeOfSport with a 140-character saying why you think it’s the best sporting destination in England. Approved nominations will be posted at www.englandhomeofsport.com and the senders will be entered into a prize draw to win a selection of sporting experiences.

Entries close on August 31, after which an expert panel will work through the nominations to establish a shortlist of sporting hubs. The shortlist will be open to public vote on September 16, with the destination that receives the highest number of votes announced in October as England’s Home of Sport.

Criteria for the winning destination will include breadth of sporting experiences, diverse and beautiful backdrops, and claims to fame.

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Bumper weekend of events set for Sydney

#SYDNEY is set for a bumper weekend of events in August when the #BledisloeCup clash, the #NetballWorldCup, and The Good Food and Wine Show take place (August 7-9) at the city’s Olympic Park. 

In the ultimate trans-Tasman battle, the Qantas Wallabies meet against arch rivals the New Zealand All Blacks at the ANZ Stadium on August 8 to try to win back the Bledisloe Cup after a 13-year drought.

The rivalry continues on August 9 when the Aussies and Kiwis battle it out at the Allphones Arena in the round robin stage of The Netball World Cup, which returns to Sydney for the first time in more than two decades.

Food and wine lovers can look in at the #GoodFoodandWine Show at the Sydney Showground (August 7-9), when local and international exhibitors show their wares.

Destination New South Wales chief executive Sandra Chipchase says: ‘Major sporting events and festivals continue to attract visitors to our state. There's no better way to spend a weekend than taking in a fixture and seeing what the city has to offer.’ 

www.sydney.com/events

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Picture Credit: "Montage of Sydney1" by Anoldtreeok - Sydney Opera House - Image from hereSydney Harbour Bridge - Image from hereSydney CBD - Image from hereBondi Beach - Image from hereDarling Harbour - Image from hereLuna Park - Image from hereBotany Bay - Image from hereOld Government house - Own workMontage by me. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons