AUSTRALIA: Tourists Like Sydney But Some Dissapointments

They can call the bridge a coat hanger, complain about bad service or the buses that never come on time and we’ll cop it on the chin.

But when it comes to some tourists’ takes on Sydney’s gems, it seems it’s not the city that has something wrong with it, it’s them.

From the Blue Mountains to Bondi, popular sightseeing sites are crawling with crowds wielding sunscreen and selfie sticks.

And while plenty of the happy horde pose for smiling photos in front of the sparking harbour, some landmarks are lost in translation, leaving perplexed tourists to take to website TripAdvisor to voice their confusion.

The Rocks is a wonderfully preserved example of a Sydney from a bygone era — but for one confused traveller there was one big thing missing.

“Where is the rock??? A tad disappointing. No rocks to see. A little dead area,” user Punithakumar said.

The Bondi to Coogee walk was crowned the number one tourist attraction in Sydney in 2015, but the stunning ocean panoramas and dramatic cliffs are not enough for everyone.

“Lovely views but there is only so much sea to look at before it gets repetitive,” one clearly miffed British man wrote.

Mrs Macquarie’s Chair cannot escape the criticism either, with some people decidedly underwhelmed despite its spectacular views — and the lack of chair.

“All it is a cut in the stone. Nothing too spectacular,” user bas0921 wrote.
“Not exactly a chair more a rock shelf,” golf 475 said.

Meanwhile Circular Quay’s shape was a bone of contention, “ironically Circular Quay is not round. It is a rectangle” and even the world-famous Opera House cops it, with holiday-maker griping TV shows give a false impression of the glistening sails.

“Dirty looking brown building that somehow always appears to photograph white,” someone called JuicyLucy2208 said.
“Wasn’t over impressed they make it look so good on telly but in real life could do with a lick of paint”.

Cockatoo Island is also a disappointment for one man, who took its name all too literally: “The whole island is full of birds and bird poo, but no cockatoo’s like the name suggests.”

The Blue Mountains were a sore point for one reviewer.

“The Wentworth Falls didn’t t have water (beginning of January). The Three Sisters are three normal rocks . At the Echo Point there is no echo anymore. And the so called Scenic World is an excellent marketing gag. 2 minutes ride with a steep train (52 degrees) then 10 min walk (or 30 or 50 minutes) .”

JAMAICA: Jamaica Lures Japanese Tourists

Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett and tourism director Paul Pennicook will meet with several tourism stakeholders in Japan as part of efforts to re-engage the market and grow visitor traffic to Jamaica.

Bartlett left the island on Sunday May 29 and returns on Monday June 6, a release from the ministry reported Monday.

“Two decades ago Jamaica received upwards of 20,000 Japanese visitors per annum but has since declined to roughly 2,000 per annum, due in part to a long economic slowdown in Japan and other factors,” Bartlett said

“However, with the world’s fourth largest economy and a population of over 127 million, still humming along and over 17 million people travelling overseas every year, I believe we have an opportunity to re-engage Japan on a more sustained basis and increase visitor traffic to Jamaica,” he added.


The release said that Bartlett will meet with representatives from various airlines and prospective investors at a reception being hosted in his honour by Jamaican Ambassador to Japan Ricardo Allicock.

Bartlett will also have a meeting with chairman of the Ueshima Coffee Company (UCC) to discuss a proposed coffee festival in Jamaica and related tourism activities.

UCC manages coffee plantations on the Blue Mountains.