The pandemic dealt a big blow to local businesses on the Northern Beaches, but a new 10-day festival helped put Manly back on the map, attracting thousands to the beachfront CBD.
PLAY MANLY, a new 10-day festival, was held in April to bring Manly to life as a joyful playground of sensory and interactive experiences.
Thousands flocked to the Northern Beaches to enjoy lighting installations, projections, live music, hidden laneway gardens, street games, free outdoor cinema, interactive history and storytelling displays, and the highly popular free public piano.
More than 77,500 people attended the festival, spending more than $19.5 million over the duration of the event. It was a boost to the local economy, with Spendmapp data showing total spending in Manly was 9 per cent higher during the festival.
Visitor spending (from people living outside the local area) during the 10-day event was significantly greater (24.1 per cent) at $6.4 million.
Some local bars even reported a 100 per cent uplift in their takings and a business survey found that 45 per cent of business recorded an increase in their sales and revenue over the festival period.
PLAY MANLY was funded through NSW Government CBD Revitalisation Fund in response to the significant impact COVID-19 restrictions had on commercial centres across Greater Sydney.
For Manly CBD, international travel bans and three lockdowns had a particularly acute impact on local spending, given its focus on tourism and hospitality-based businesses.
Council collaborated with Experience Manly, a newly formed tourism body, to bring the festival to life. The festival was a finalist in both the State and National Event categories in the National Event Awards.
The festival will no doubt be a point of discussion at the LGNSW Destination and Visitor Economy Conference, which will be hosted by Northern Beaches Council from 29–31 May 2023.
The three-day conference will give local councils the insights and skills to drive visitation and strengthen their visitor economy.
