Direct flights from Sydney to Fiji

QANTAS is making it easier for customers to holiday in #Fiji by launching new direct flights from Sydney, meeting a growing demand from customers wanting a premium travel option to the islands. 

From 31 March 2019, the direct service will operate four times per week to Nadi, the country’s main gateway, with a Boeing 737 aircraft, offering a checked baggage allowance, inflight entertainment and food and drinks all included as part of the fare, and the option to fly or upgrade to Business class. 

The flights add to Jetstar’s direct services which also operate four times per week and will see the Qantas Group offer customers more than 75,000 seats on the route annually and the choice to fly to the popular holiday destination six days a week.

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A heroes send off from British Airways for Team UK

BRITISH Airways is proud to announce it will be the official airline partner of Team UK, a 72-strong group of wounded, injured and sick serving military personnel and veterans, who have been specially selected to represent Great Britain at the #Invictus Games #Sydney 2018, presented by Jaguar Land Rover.

The competitors, along with their families and support staff, will head down under on October 15 after a heroes’ send-off at Heathrow. During the games, which run from October 20 to 27, the team will participate in 10 different adaptive sports against 500 men and women from 18 countries.

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From water to wine

IN a new approach to attract the visiting friends and relatives of expats living in Australia, today the Mudgee Region launches its new tourism campaign, Water to Wine – supported by the Australian Government’s $50 million Export and Regional Wine Support Package. 

Each year, thousands of visiting friends and relatives flock to the shores of Sydney, spending time with their loved ones and enjoying the beach-lifestyle. Too often, however, hosts who live fast-paced lives are tasked with coordinating activities and adventures to keep their guests occupied.

What is most interesting, is that more than half of international Visiting Friends and Relatives visitors (55%) will take over-night trips on their own, with 17% of the hosts accompanying them on overnight/short break trips.

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Shangri-La in Sydney

NESTLED in the heart of the historic Rocks District, Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney features 565 elegantly appointed guestrooms and suites, award-winning restaurants, bars and CHI, The Spa, an urban oasis in the heart of the city. The luxury hotel boasts an extraordinarily beautiful view of Sydney’s international icons – Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour.

Shangri-La Hotel, #Sydney made a clean sweep of the 2018 HM Awards for Hotel and Accommodation Excellence, taking home five prestigious awards in Sydney on 7 September 2018. 

1. Executive Pastry Chef Anna Polyviou taking out “Hotel Chef”,
2. Director of Engineering Anura Yapa winning “Hotel Engineer”, and
3. Engineer Service Manager Aditi Sood being awarded “Rising Star”.
4. The hotel named “Highly Commended Luxury Hotel” and
5. Guest Relations Manager Losalini Monano walking away with “Highly Recommended Front Office Associate”.

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NSW’s capital city tops Awards

SYDNEY continues to impress international travellers having once again been voted the number one city in The Best Cities in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific category of the 23rd annual Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards. 

According to Travel + Leisure, the largest travel magazine brand in the United States, Sydney’s top ranking is the ultimate confirmation of how well the city is satisfying the most discerning travellers as they explore the world. 

Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall welcomed the accolade and said it was a testament to the diverse range of world-class experiences in our beautiful Harbour City and the marketing programs in the USA undertaken by Destination NSW to drive increased visitation.

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New arrival at Sydney Zoo

WILD Life Sydney Zoo is delighted to announce the debut of its newest arrival, a male koala joey who emerged from his mother’s pouch for the first time earlier this week. Now the search is on for a koala-ty name for the little bub! The unnamed koala joey was welcomed into the world in October last year and is the son of Bruce and Kyara, and the sibling of Kikki who was born in the last breeding season.

To celebrate the new arrival with all of #Australia, Wild Life Sydney Zoo are on the hunt for the perfect name that encapsulates their newest arrival’s eager and bubbly personality, and are calling on the public for help. There’s only one condition – in line with the attraction’s naming traditions, his name has to start with the letter ‘B’ after his father!

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Justice is served

JUSTICE has been served at Madame Tussauds Sydney as the globally-recognised attraction has officially launched the world-first Justice League: A Call for Heroes interactive experience. The epic, new experience unites an all-star cast of DC Super Heroes including the first moving wax figure in Australia, and transports guests to Gotham City on an interactive mission to save the world. 

Guests will star alongside Justice League’s Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Henry Cavill as Superman, Ben Affleck as Batman, and Ezra Miller as The Flash as they fight to save the world from Lex Luthor’s evil corporation, LexCorp.

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Shining brighter than ever

VIVID Sydney has kicked off its 10th-anniversary celebrations in style, with more than 330,000 Vivid Light Walk attendees turning out for the opening weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) of the world’s largest festival of light, music and ideas. 

Weekends are by far the busiest time to see the lights and people are reminded that from tonight through until Sunday night there will be a one-way walking route in place on the Light Walk, so it’s important to plan ahead and be patient. 

Since launching the 2018 festival program, VividSydney.com has had more than a million visitors, the app has been downloaded almost 30,000 times and visitors are spreading the joy on social media. More than 13,000 people have already used the VividSydney hashtag and over 10,000 have shared incredible images and videos from the festival across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

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Picture Credit: Gunn Shots Vivid Sydney  via photopin

Find your way round Sydney Airport

SYDNEY Airport is Australia’s gateway airport, serving more than 43.3 million passengers a year and connecting Sydney to a network of over 100 international, domestic and regional destinations. 

Sydney Airport customers can now navigate their way through T1 International, T2/T3 Domestic terminals and carparks using Apple Maps. Using the wayfinding application, customers can now more easily find facilities and services inside the terminal, including restrooms, parent’s rooms, elevators and shops, and see their current location with indoor positioning. 

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Picture Credit: pintrest

Lighting up the night

WILD and exotic times ahead, when the lights go on at two of Vivid Sydney’s favourite precincts, Taronga Zoo and The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Taronga Zoo will shine a bold and bright spotlight on conservation and endangered wildlife with a family-friendly, spectacular display of giant animal light sculptures. As the Zoo’s permanent residents retire for the evening, Lights for the Wild will introduce visitors to fierce and friendly creatures, and take them on a colourful journey through fragile habitats — from the ocean, to the jungle and the Australian bush.

www.vividsydney.com

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Celebrate the Royal Wedding with free entry

TO celebrate the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Madame Tussauds Sydney is offering free entry to guests with the same first names as the bride and groom to-be for the weekend of May 19-20.

Guests named Harry and Meghan (of any spelling) who visit Madame Tussauds Sydney on the weekend of the Royal wedding can claim free entry to the Darling Harbour attraction on presentation of photographic ID at the ticket desk.

www.madametussauds.com.au

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Sydney Airport wins Skytrax global airport award

SYDNEY Airport has been voted the top airport in the Australia/Pacific region by customers participating in one of the largest global customer satisfaction surveys. The airport was recognised at this week’s Skytrax World Airport Awards in Stockholm. Skytrax notes that its World Airport Awards assess customer service and facilities across 550 airports and are based on more than 13.7 million survey questionnaires completed by travellers of more than 100 nationalities.

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Travel bragging

‘TRAVEL BRAGGING’ posts that are filling up your social feeds show no sign of slowing down but now thanks to the world’s first #TravelBrag Artificial Intelligence (AI) analysis, Hotels.com reveals what’s topping the brag charts in destinations around the world, so you can choose your next trip wisely. Brags about #Melbourne and #Sydney show that international travellers are flocking to our shores for Aussie famous sport, culture and landmarks. 

TOP 5 MELBOURNE BRAGS 1. Art galleries 2. Mrs Macquarie’s Chair 3. Sydney Kings 4. Circular Quay 5. Sydney Harbour 

TOP 5 SYDNEY BRAGS 1. Melbourne Cricket Ground 2. Seasons (relating to the weather) 3. Rooftop bars 4. St Paul’s Cathedral 5. National Gallery of Victoria   


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Double up down under

TWO of Western Sydney’s acclaimed entertainment venues have come together to offer visitors a Best of the West Pass. 

Featherdale Wildlife Park in Doonside, home to the world’s largest collection of native Australian animals and water theme park, Wet’n’Wild Sydney in Prospect will deliver the best of Western #Sydney in one high value pass priced at only $129.00 for adults. 

The passes are on sale now at both venues and their websites and are valid for 12 months for Featherdale and through until the end of April at Wet’n’Wild Sydney.

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Sydney makes it to the top

IT'S official – #Sydney is one of the best places to visit in the world, according to global travel magazine, National Geographic Traveler, which today revealed its hotly anticipated ‘Best of the World’ list of 21 unmissable global destinations for 2018. Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said the accolade cemented Sydney’s reputation as Australia’s most exciting and vibrant visitor destination. 


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Golden era of air travel to make a revival at Sydney Airport

FELIX Hotel by 8Hotels, is about to turn Sydney airport accommodation upside down. From the moment you walk in and make your way to the Penthouse for check in you know you are somewhere unique. This brand new 150 bedroom boutique hotel is helping to relive the golden era of air travel. It has been designed to capture a modern urban aesthetic, with a 1960s twist. 

Launching in early 2018, Felix Hotel is located within a 2-minute drive from Sydney Domestic Airport and 10 minutes’ drive from the international terminal. 

Designed with the digital nomad in mind, the hotel has self-check in kiosks and a 24hr food shop, with locally sourced gourmet food and drink options that can be charged back to your room with the swipe of your key. The high flying theme runs throughout the hotel from room types; first class, business, premium economy and economy, through to conference rooms, Boeing and Airbus. Guests will enjoy the step back in time, with all the conveniences of the most modern of hotel, with a hip inner-city vibe at an affordable price.

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New waterfront venue in Darling Harbour

A fabulous new waterfront pavilion will be available for venue hire in Sydney’s Darling Harbour, just in time for the festive season. Named after Captain Cook’s majestic vessel and its on-site replica, the HMB Endeavour, the Endeavour Pavilion which opens on November 10 is an exciting new addition to the wharves of the Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM). 

In addition to its prime waterfront location overlooking the stunning harbour, the Endeavour Pavilion also offers all-inclusive event packages, with everything from venue hire to catering and furniture looked after on site. The venue offers guests a unique setting for a function with a wow factor, with the Pavilion nestled elegantly amongst historic vessels, set against the spectacular backdrop of the Sydney skyline.

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Sydney voted number one city in Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific

SYDNEY'S iconic landmarks, stunning beaches and vibrant food and wine scene have continued to resonate with travellers with the city once again voted the number one city in #Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific at the 22nd annual Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards. 

Destination NSW Chief Executive Officer Sandra Chipchase welcomed the accolade and said the US represents an important visitor market for NSW. 

“Travel + Leisure is one of the world’s most prestigious travel and lifestyle magazines with a print circulation of more than 950,000 in the US alone, and I am delighted that they have recognised #Sydney as one of the world’s best cities once again,” Ms Chipchase said. 

In the year ended March 2017, NSW welcomed almost 430,000 overnight visitors from the US who spent $776 million.

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Sky high savings on Christmas day

HOLIDAYMAKERS who are prepared to forgo the traditional Christmas Day celebrations at home and enjoy their turkey dinner mid-air, can land sky-high savings according to leading global flight search and travel deals website, Cheapflights.co.uk.

Savings of up to 23 per cent can be made on out-bound #flights to the most popular Christmas holiday hotspots if travellers are happy to fly on #ChristmasDay. 

The top 10 searched-for Christmas destinations are all long-haul with Bangkok in pole position and New York, Dubai, Sydney, Los Angeles, Goa and Cape Town also riding high.

Andrew Shelton, Managing Director of Cheapflights, said: “If you have always wanted to visit Australia, South Africa, Asia or the USA but have been put off by the prices, travelling on 25 December could be the way to get you there. “Our advice is to plan ahead and book early to make the most of the Christmas Day savings but for holidaymakers hankering for a Christmas getaway this year, there are still bargains to be snapped up.

For more tips on travelling on Christmas Day, go to www.cheapflights.co.uk/news/things-anyone-travelled-christmas-day-knows-true

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Picture Credit: David441491 flickr.com/photos/97578613@N08/23589725299 Strongsville Christmas Lights 12-24-2015 - 12 via photopin

Sydney Airport top for customer service

#SYDNEY Airport has been recognised at the 2016 Australian Airports Association (AAA) National Airport Industry Awards, winning the AAA Airport Innovation and Excellence (Customer Experience) Award for the airport’s Customer Care Centre.

Sydney Airport’s Customer Care Centre opened in May 2016 as the airport’s first centralised customer service function to provide assistance to passengers, visitors and the general public.

Together with specialist staff, a new and centralised 133 number, 133 SYD, makes enquiries quicker and easier. More than 22,000 customers contact the centre each month with a broad range of written and telephone enquiries, including lost property, parking, flight and general information.

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Picture Credit: Theen flickr.com/photos/57768536@N05/16814655601 Control Tower via photopin.com