APEC and Tourists Don't Mix
Sydney Becomes a Headache for Tourists this Week
After the arrival of US President George W. Bush, Sydney, Australia is a secure and fortified city. While locals are heading out of town, tourists are out of luck.
1.00 pm on 7 September, 2007:
Security for the 2007 APEC Summit is in full force in Sydney, Australia. 8-foot high, steel fences surround parts of the city and security forces line the streets. News cameras show officers with sniper guns perched on high buildings and the mood is quite tense around the city. While many locals are happy to have today off because of the APEC Summit, tourists who were unaware of the global meeting are now hoping they can still enjoy their holiday.
The security teams are outlawing many Sydney tourist attractions. The iconic Opera House is off limits to the public and guards are bordering the area. One tourist from Korea is extremely irritated with the security hurdles, “We are so frustrated… The one place we wanted to go was the Opera House and now we can’t… it’s all closed off,” said Kim Yugen. Yugen said she’s visited the Sydney Visitor Centre and they told her to try non-traditional Sydney icons. “We may try visiting the suburb areas or the beaches on the North side,” said Yugen. An employee of the Visitor Centre said they are not allowed to comment on the APEC Summit.
Some tourists are shocked at the security focused on one hotel. “It’s a lot of craziness… I really think it’s overdone for one man,” said Marja Wellboran from the Netherlands. U.S.
President George W. Bush is staying at the Intercontinental Hotel in a seven room suite worth $4,300 a night. Mr. Bush also brings a 700 member entourage including Secret Service agents, bodyguards and political advisors. In addition to his entourage, the Intercontinental will be hosting his bomb-sniffing dogs, a medical team and a personal chef.
Transport is also a major disruption for tourists coming to the city. According to the Transport Information Line, from today until Sunday Circular Quay, St. James and Museum stations will be closed. Trains that would normally run through Circular Quay will either terminate at Central station or will run through Town Hall and onto the North Shore line. The airport lines will also start and terminate at Central Station. Many tourists say they understand the need for security, but the level seen here in Sydney is extreme “The security precautions… are overwhelming,” said a tourist from Taiwan.
As the restricted weekend continues on, Kim Yugan from Korea just hopes that this holiday will be relaxing and fun, “We’ll be here for 3 more days… even though it’s the worst time to come we want to make it the best.”
