Everest race 2019: 150k people set to visit Sydney over weekend
More than 150,000 spectators will flood Sydney for a unique bumper tourism weekend from tomorrow as the city throws down the gauntlet to Melbourne in the race to be the nation’s event capital.
NSW
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More than 150,000 spectators will flood Sydney for a unique bumper tourism weekend from tomorrow as the city throws down the gauntlet to Melbourne in the race to be the nation’s event capital.
Sydney will flex its muscle as it juggles the unusual convergence of The Everest, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the Rugby League World Cup 9s marking one of the busiest weekends in the Harbour City’s calendar.
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While most visitors will come from greater Sydney and regional NSW, thousands are also expected to hop across the border from Victoria with The Everest gaining national momentum as a Melbourne Cup rival.
In total there are six major events on for the weekend, with the Constellation Cup netball and the WWE live rounding out the schedule.
The success of the weekend will be a key step forward in Sydney’s tourism strategy which is focused on reaching the lofty goal of raking in $55 billion a year in overnight visitor spending by 2030.
This weekend alone will generate $40 million in tourism expenditure — double that of the NRL grand final.
Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres hailed The Everest as a worldwide event which threatened other cities.
In comments that are likely to rile his interstate counterparts he told The Daily Telegraph: “Events like The Everest have got the entire world talking about Australia. It’s different, it’s bold, its disruptive and while other cities feel threatened by this attitude we embrace it.”
Mr Ayres took a direct shot at Victoria, saying The Everest was about innovation and risk taking and was an Australian event not just a Sydney one.
“It seems down south they have become so protective and reluctant to innovate they run the risk of allowing their national events to diminish.”
The minister said visitors to Sydney would see the city showcase its renowned event hosting credentials and “outstanding hospitality”, adding that the action packed weekend “showcased Sydney as a global city and Australia’s events capital”.
“Our city is dynamic and innovative and we apply the same approach to our events. We don’t shy away from pushing the boundaries, that’s what makes Sydney, Sydney,” he said.
Acting Sports Minister Geoff Lee said the Rugby League World Cup 9s had been a “huge coup” for Parramatta and would bring fans from “across the state, country and world to enjoy our newest venue Bankwest Stadium”.
But The Everest is the big ticket item of the weekend. Perfect conditions on the track are lining up to make the third running of The Everest another standout success.
“The weather will be 26C and sunny on Saturday with a light breeze,” Australian Turf Club general manager of racecourses Nevesh Ramdhani said.
“We have given the track 15mm of irrigation since Saturday night and will reassess on Friday night to see if it needs a light drink before race day.”
The track looks to be a good four — perfect for a field of 12 of the world’s best sprinters competing for $14 million in prize money in the world’s richest race on turf.
Pundits are predicting the great conditions favour the horses in the middle barriers.
Australian Turf Club CEO Jamie Barkley said fewer than 5500 tickets remained for Saturday, with all corporate hospitality sold out.
“There is no better place in Sydney than Royal Randwick on a sunny day for spectacular racing and entertainment the equal of anywhere in the world,” he said. Once the racing is finished international singing star Kelly Rowland will perform a 45-minute concert in the Theatre of the Horse that will be free to all ticket holders.