Sydney hits tourist record

A record 30 million passengers have passed through Sydney Airport in Australia over the last 12 months, the facility's officials have announced.

The figure, recorded between February 2006 and January 2007, is a 4.6 per cent rise from the previous 12-month period.

Additionally, a second record was broken, as January saw the highest ever number of international passengers using the airport, at 996,968.

Meanwhile January 7th was the busiest day in Sydney Airport's history, excluding those affected by the "special circumstances" surrounding the end of the 2000 Olympic Games.

Russell Balding, chief executive of Sydney Airport, heralded the growth in visitors as indicative New South Wales' success as a tourist destination.

"Sydney is Australia's global city and the connections the airport provides to other cities around the world are critical to Sydney's success," he remarked.

Sydney is home to some of the most iconic architecture in the world, with the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge visible from many areas of the city.

Additionally, popular tourist destinations such as Darling Harbour and Manly and Bondi beaches are frequented by thousands of British holidaymakers each year.

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