Great start to a new year!

New Year’s Eve in Sydney was fabulous!  Our group started walking to Rushcutters Bay around 5:30 p.m.  Along the way there were so many people out walking the streets.  It was very interesting to see how busy the city is during this holiday.  The whole atmosphere was very laid-back and party-like.  I could tell that people had been waiting all year round for the massive celebration.

When we arrived at Rushcutters Bay, we had a picnic and relaxed.  Numerous groups were present at this site and it seemed very family friendly.  Children and adults were all enjoying the ambiance of the night.  Later on in the night, a DJ started playing music near our spot on the bay.  Most of us went over and enjoyed the dance party.  Even on the dance floor there were multiple languages being spoken, but I could tell that everyone was having a great time. 

Fireworks went off at 9:00 pm and then a large display at midnight.  People from all backgrounds and regions of the world gathered together to look up at the amazing show.  I find it fascinating that many travelers come from so far away to take part in this celebration.  We had an excellent view of the Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera House from our bay, which made the experience even more remarkable.  Fireworks were shot off the bridge and even off the roofs of nearby buildings.  I would like to know how much money was spent on this year’s fireworks

This event brings enormous amounts of revenue into Sydney.  Although the fireworks display is free to the public, visitors and even Sydney citizens end up spending money within Sydney during the celebration.  Whether it is visiting bars, eating at restaurants, or staying in a hotel room, New Year’s Eve travelers spend quite a bit of money during this celebration.  According to Sydney Media, in 2009 “International visitors stayed an average of 16 nights in Sydney over the New Year period, while Interstate visitors stayed an average of 8 nights.”  I wonder how much total revenue Sydney received on this one night alone. 

New Year’s Eve is extremely important to Australia’s economy, because of the millions of visitors it draws.  Without this large event, I am unsure as to how Sydney’s budgeting would change.  I am curious about what city services would have to be cut in order to compensate for the millions in lost revenue.  Also, other areas of Australia benefit from the celebration because many tourists will take the opportunity to visit other parts of Australia during their vacation.