Vivid Sydney Refurbished: Strategies for Tourism Development

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Abstract
Tourism from an individual point of view refers to embarking on a voyage predominantly for
recreational or for enjoyment reasons while from a corporate angle is the provision of services to support
this leisure activities. This study has adopted The World Tourism Organization definition of Tourists as
persons who visit an environment outside their usual locality for less one consecutive year for pleasure,
commercial and/or other motives not related to the exercises of an activity remunerated from within the
destination.
The paper has been organized in the following order; chapter one deals with the description of the
chosen upcoming event in Sydney (Vivid activities for 2019). Chapter two has a highlight of the tourism
theories. In chapter three, there is a description of the role of tourism in Sydney and mechanism for
improving its state while chapter four deals with an insight in to the findings in the state of tourism in
Sydney. Chapter five discusses the mechanisms to improve the tourism sector in Sydney. Towards the end,
chapter six has a brief critical appraisal of the theories of tourism. Finally, chapter seven and eight tackles
conclusion and recommendation.
Table of Contents

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Abstract...................................................................................................................... 1
1. VIVID SYDNEY REFURBISHED................................................................................ 3
1.1. Statement of the problem..............................................................................4
1.2. Significance of the study....................................................................................... 5
2.0. Theories of tourism..................................................................................................... 5
2.1. Plog’s theory of tourism............................................................................................ 5
2.2. Eric Cohen’s theory of tourists....................................................................................7
2.3. Butler’s Tourist Area Life Cycle (TALC) Theory............................................................7
3.0. Roles of tourism in Sydney........................................................................................... 8
3.1. Strategies for tourism development................................................................................. 8
3.1.1. Short-term recommendations to increase visitation during the winter
months................................................................................................................. 8
3.1.2. Long-term recommendations to increase visitation during the winter
months................................................................................................................. 9
4.0. Findings................................................................................................................. 10
4.1. Measures to be taken to improve the number of visitors to the Vivid Sydney Festival..............11
4.2. Enhanced digital tourism promotion........................................................................12
4.3. Embrace content marketing...................................................................................12
4.5. Fully understand your target..................................................................................12
4.6. Increased investment in tourism sector.....................................................................13
4.7. Make customer satisfaction top of your agenda..........................................................13
5.0. Mechanisms to promote the target market.......................................................................13
5.1. Employment of the local citizens:..............................................................................14
5.2. Establishment of Destination Marketing Organization (DMOs).......................14
6.0. Critical appraisal of tourism theories.................................................................14
7.0. CONCLUSION....................................................................................................... 15
8.0. Recommendations.................................................................................................... 15
References................................................................................................................... 16

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1. VIVID SYDNEY REFURBISHED
Every tourist destination has its unique history and Vivid Sydney is not an exception. Vivid Sydney
is owned, regulated and operated by Destination NWS, the NWS Government’s tourism agency and major
events agencies. Of the standard situation, Sydney is located within ideal latitudes and longitudes making it
to be a perennial center for tourism attraction. One seldom sees a city glow like the emerald city on steroids
unless you have the opportunity to set foot on the Sydney Habour BridgeClimb. The scene is graced with a
boogie on 70s-style disco platform on the ceiling of Habour Bridge. This gateway is also laced with ride
classics in the form of Wild Mouse, Dodgems and the Ferris while. Beside the beautiful sceneries, a
package to this venue includes limitless rides to Luna Park and a $20 food/drink vouchers. Terms of sales
are favourable with a 10% exclusive waiver on all goods and services purchased.
According to Sulaiman (2016), several artists from around the globe pay homage to this great
city with myriads of performances customarily held at the Sydney Opera House, City Recital Hall and
several other venues within the city Central Business District or outskirts. Each year records an invention of
a tourist attraction and the year 2019 has a dance party on the cliff on the Houbour Bridge.
Vivid Sydney Habour Bridgeclimb figure 1

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The event gives the tourists an opportunity to climb to the top of the Harbour bridge and enjoy a
dance on the platform of an iconic structure illuminated with magnificent tint from the background.
According to Destination NWS CEO and Executive Producer (Sandra Chipchase), the event
attracted 2.25 million visitors and delivered $172.9 million in visitor expenditure in the GDP of NWS. As
noted by the World Forum (2008), tourism has become one of the key income earners of international trade
categories ranking fourth after fuels, chemicals, and automotive.
1.1. Statement of the problem
Despite the beautiful sceneries, the winter season register significant drop in the number of visitors
coming to Sydney and Australia as a whole (Lin, Liu, & Song, 2015). Therefore, there is need for a
robust strategy to improve the situation and maintain the number of visitors even outside the peak seasons.
Such strategies enhance brand creation that strives to keep the destination in the mind of the customer as
the center of choice for leisure.
1.2. Significance of the study
According to CUT (2016), tourism has become a global industry. The sector appears to be the one
of the fastest growing sectors in most countries, the largest employer and the most significant contributor of
GDP in such countries. This study is vital for the tourism community for it contributes to its development
in the following manner: firstly, the findings of this paper can be used by the government of Sydney to
understand and acknowledge the significance of the industry to the economy. Secondly, the government
can identify the unexploited potential of the city during winter using the findings of this study. It offers
remedial actions to reap maximum returns even during the low tourism seasons.