Sydney Parties On into 2011
Metro Hotels
03/01/2011New Year’s Eve 2010 was the biggest celebration in Sydney since the 2000 Olympics.
For the first time in over a decade, the city’s hotels, restaurants, cafes and bars experienced a huge increase in business with most of them booked to capacity.
Despite constant reports of rising electricity and water bills, potential interest rate hikes and an increase to rents causing most Australians to rein in their discretionary spending, Sydney was awash with revelers splurging like there was no tomorrow.
Metro Hotels Chief Operating Office and Australian Hotels Association NSW Division board member, Mr George Bedwani reported that occupancy and average rates for hotels were higher than previous New Years periods and higher than those recorded during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
“The city was full of local, interstate and international visitors for the recent New Years festivities,” reported Mr Bedwani. “And it looks like this trend will continue over the coming months.” He said.
Fresh off the immense hype caused by “Oprah fever” and the smorgasbord of concerts by national and international artists, Sydney will continue to enjoy a very buoyant first quarter of the 2011 calendar year with the final Ashes Cricket Test and the reknowned Sydney Festival drawing tens of thousands of domestic and international tourists to Sydney during January.
“There has been a lot of coverage in the media about how the strong Australian dollar has been driving holidaymakers overseas, but it’s clear that many Australians still see Sydney as the place to be this summer.” Mr. Bedwani said.
According to recent statistics from Tourism NSW, Australians spent a record number of nights in Sydney hotels and other accommodation properties during the year, to the end of September 2010. In fact, more than eight million room nights were recorded. “These statistics are supported by the strong bookings received Sydney hotels during most of 2010,” explained Mr. Bedwani.
