Sydney Hopes for Tiger Impact
The NSW travel industry is hoping that the Tiger Woods magic that saw visitor arrivals to Melbourne boom will work for Sydney as well.
New South Wales’ fresh commitment to major events is continuing with the announcement that Tiger Woods will play the Australian Open in Sydney this November, according to the Accommodation Association of Australia.
The association’s chief executive officer, Richard Munro, said the news is a timely boost for the accommodation industry and Sydney’s major CBD hotels in particular.
“It’s no secret that since the 2000 Olympics, Sydney has lagged behind in attracting major sporting and business events, but securing the participation of Tiger in the Australian Open will draw additional interstate and overseas visitors to Sydney,” Mr Munro said. “With Tiger to be joined by Greg Norman, Geoff Ogilvy and Fred Couples, the event provides a tremendous opportunity to see the world’s best players in one of the world’s best cities.
“This year’s field will ensure the open is a world-class event which will almost certainly translate to our industry receiving a significant lift at a time when consumer sentiment is down due to cost-of-living pressures and concern about the impact of the carbon tax.
“It’s another example of Sydney’s reinvigorated calendar of events and the association is pleased to see the commitment from the NSW government. The broader accommodation industry is also set to benefit from visitors who choose to extend their stay to visit regional NSW or other parts of Australia.”
Woods, a 14-time major champion has slipped to 29th in the world having not won since the 2009 Australian Masters. He has played in the Australian Masters in Melbourne over the past two years but returns to the Australian Open and Sydney for the first time since 1996 when he tied for fifth.
With the President’s Cup taking place at Royal Melbourne a week later from 17-21 November, Woods is hoping to make it a double if he gets selected for the US team.
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