With 25 professional performers, 17 distinctive acts, and around 1000 visiting Asian tourists expected to attend over the two days; the Gold Coast Chinese New Year Festival in Broadbeach Mall is the most exciting way for locals and visitors to bring in the Year of the Dragon.
Chinese drums, magic, fireworks, puppets, dragon dancers, belly dancers, musicians, firecrackers and fireworks will make this the Gold Coast’s biggest Chinese New Year celebration.
Gold Coast Tourism CEO Martin Winter said the event was a great cross-cultural festival which aimed to bring residents and tourists of all nationalities together.
“As an international tourism destination the Gold Coast has a rich multicultural mix, enjoying meaningful celebrations such as Chinese New Year is the perfect opportunity to show our welcoming personality and have a bit of fun,” he said.
“This is the first time we have been involved in the Gold Coast’s Chinese New Year celebrations and it has come about through our work with the Chinese travel industry where we see celebrating Chinese New Year on the Gold Coast really appeals to potential visitors and makes a positive impression with them.”
Nicholas Liu agrees, he is General Manager of Auga Travel, an inbound tourism operator specialising in bringing groups of Chinese tourists to the Gold Coast.
“We have many Chinese visitors on the Gold Coast at the moment all with the Chinese New Year Festival booked as part of their holiday itinerary,” he said.
“They are impressed that the Gold Coast is so welcoming and can’t wait to share the fun with local Aussies, they will go home telling their friends and family what a special cultural treat this was.”
Here are some Chinese New Year tips:
– 23 January is the first day of Chinese New Year – it will be the Year of the Dragon
– New Year’s Eve dinner is the equivalent of our Christmas lunch
– Chinese normally do not cut their hair or buy new shoes in the first two weeks of New Year
– Happy Chinese New Year is Gong Xi Fa Cai in Chinese and Gong Xi Fa Cai in Mandarin