Celebrations are underway across the world to welcome in the New Year.
Celebrations in many parts of the world have been muted for the second year running, with governments in many countries hurriedly scaling back festivities in an effort to contain ongoing infections.
Earlier this week, World Health Organization Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged people to rethink their party plans, advising "it's better to cancel now and celebrate later, than to celebrate now and grieve later.”
However, despite spiking cases, many cities went ahead with firework spectaculars albeit attended by smaller crowds.
Auckland has already marked the end of the old year and start of the new with a spectacular light show with the Auckland Harbour Bridge, Sky Tower and Auckland War Memorial Museum lit up from 9pm, with a full light show at midnight.
In Sydney, the city's world-renowned New Year's Eve fireworks display began at midnight with organisers delivering six tonnes of fireworks, 25,000 shooting effects, 9000 aerial shells and 80,000 pyrotechnic effects across two spectacular displays.
The whole 12-minute show by Foti Fireworks was preceded by a smoking ceremony around the harbour, paying homage to First Nations peoples' culture before the more family-friendly 9pm Welcome to Country fireworks.
However, despite favourable weather the event was viewed by a significantly smaller crowd witnessed in in years leading up to 2019 - the event not having been held in 2020.
Reports suggested that significant numbers of tickets remained unsold for many of the display's main vantage points.
In Singapore, where there was no fireworks display this year, a police patrolled the waterfront area at Marina Bay to monitor crowds and ensure safe distancing measures.
In India, authorities started to impose stringent rules on Thursday to prevent mass gatherings, with night curfews imposed in all major cities.
In the United Arab Emirates, the uncertainties of the past year were forgetten with a series of breathtaking firework displays.
Ras Al Khaimah broke two Guinness World Records with its fireworks show while Expo 2020 Dubai presented a New York-inspired midnight ball drop that counted down the seconds to 2022.
Looking forward
As the world battles yet another variant of the Coronavirus, we at Australasian Leisure Management hope that all in the industry can move above and beyond the challenges that the pandemic continues to present and that personally and professionally we can move forward with positivity to enjoy a safe, healthy and prosperous 2022.
Lower image: New Year's Eve fireworks on Sydney Harbour. Credit: Richard Errington.
About the author
Nigel Benton
Co-founder/Publisher, Australasian Leisure Management
Nigel Benton is the co-founder and Publisher of Australasian Leisure Management, Australia and New Zealand’s only magazine for professionals in all areas of the leisure industry. Having established the magazine in 1997, shortly after his relocation to Australia, he has managed its readership rising to over 11,500 and its acceptance as the industry journal for professionals in aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues.
In 2020, he launched the new Asian Leisure Business website.
Among a range of published works and features, his comments on a Blog (blogspot) from 2007 to 2011, when this website went live in its current form, may be interesting to reflect back on.
Click here to connect with him via LinkedIn.
Read more from this author
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