Merlin Works Its Magic at The NSW Tourism Awards

 
Merlin Entertainments Group attractions Madame Tussauds Sydney and the Sydney Tower Eye have won gold and silver respectively at the highly contested 2012 NSW Tourism Awards, held last night at Le Montage in Lilyfield.

Madame Tussauds Sydney took out the gold prize in the New Tourism Development category, while Sydney Tower Eye was awarded silver in the Major Tourist Attraction category. It is the first time that both attractions have entered the NSW Tourism Awards in any category.

Hywel Mathias, General Manager of Madame Tussauds Sydney was thrilled at the news, saying: "What a fantastic achievement for Madame Tussauds as a new and exciting attraction on the Sydney landscape".

Sydney was selected as the location of the thirteenth Madame Tussauds in the world because of the global nature of the city, the volume of tourists and the Darling Harbour location.

Hywel continued: "The team meticulously took into consideration all elements of setting up an attraction to ensure nothing was missed and I am proud to say we have enjoyed great success since officially opening this year. I am also extremely proud of my team who ensure every day that all our guests have a fun, interactive experience. I would also like to acknowledge the other finalists in this category; it was a privilege to be included amongst the company of such outstanding NSW attractions."

Set within 1800 square metres in Darling Harbour, Madame Tussauds Sydney opened its doors to the public in April 2012 as the thirteenth of its kind in the world at a total cost of $14 million. The attraction gives Australians and international visitors the opportunity to come face-to-face with some of the world's most famous celebrities via a collection of amazing life-like wax figures in a unique, interactive setting.

Ian Wood, General Manager of Sydney Tower Eye said: "It's a great honour to have won silver in the Major Tourist Attraction category and I would like to congratulate Blue Mountains National Park for a well-deserved win. To be acknowledged as a finalist amongst other outstanding NSW attractions was an honour and I am very proud of our team for all of their hard work and dedication".

After relaunching in September 2011, Sydney Tower Eye is the highest viewing point in the city and is home to Sydney's first 4D Cinema. It offers an enhanced visual experience from the Observation Deck, which includes multilingual interactive touch panel screens and high-powered binoculars, as well as SKYWALK - the highest open air experience in Sydney.

Merlin Entertainments operates over 90 attractions around the world, 12 of which are in Australia. Other attractions in the Merlin Entertainments Australian portfolio include the all new SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, Mount Hotham and Falls Creek Ski Resorts in Victoria as well as Melbourne Aquarium.

For more information about Sydney Tower Eye or to pre-book tickets visit: www.sydneytowereye.com.au or www.facebook.com/sydneytowereye

For more information about Madame Tussauds Sydney or to pre-book tickets visit www.madametussauds.com/sydney or www.facebook.com/madametussaudssydney