SYDNEY IN TOP FIVE BEST PLACES IN WORLD TO VISIT

Sydney has once again been recognised as a top tourist destination with the world-class city ranked number five in the U.S News top 25 World’s Best Places to Visit list.

U.S News compiled the list of destinations using opinions and recommendations from travel experts and users, with Sydney the only Australian city to make the final list.

Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events Stuart Ayres said the US is one of the international priority tourism markets for NSW.

“This remarkable result solidifies our position as Australia’s number one visitor destination. We look forward to welcoming more and more visitors from the US to Sydney which is truly like no other city in the world,” Mr Ayres said.

“Sydney never fails to impress with its iconic landmarks, beautiful beaches, vibrant food and wine scene and world-class events so it is no wonder people are choosing Sydney as one of their top travel destinations.”

In the year ending September 2014, more than 323,000 visitors travelled to NSW from North America. These visitors stayed 4.3 million nights, providing a $535 million boost to the local economy.

Destination NSW Chief Executive Officer Sandra Chipchase said the recent broadcast of NBC’s TODAY in Sydney, followed by the impressive ranking on the U.S News top 25 travel list, is a testament to the success of the targeted marketing, events and industry partnership campaigns secured by Destination NSW.

“We are excited to be listed as one of the world’s top places to visit by the US and confident that this recognition will help drive visitation to Sydney and encourage visitors from around the world to experience Australia’s number one State,” Ms Chipchase said.