The Baird Government in New South Wales has joined forces with a number of Sydney businesses and the Melbourne-based company ARI Registry Services to officially launch the .sydney domain.



The launch means that from 11am today (Tuesday 17) all eligible residents in New South Wales and service providers to the State are able to register a domain name ending in .sydney.



According to NSW Finance and Services Minister Dominic Perrottet the launch of the .sydney domain will encourage greater ecommerce and give a boost to the State’s digital economy.





“The Government invested in .sydney to provide the New South Wales business community with a long-term digital asset that will create a platform for innovation and ensure the continued development of the digital economy across the State.”“Registering a .sydney domain name offers individuals and brands a new and innovative way of doing business online in New South Wales.”Adrian Kinderis, CEO of ARI Registry Services - the company contracted to run the technology and manage .sydney, as well as .melbourne - said the domain names are a valuable drawcard for those looking to innovate online and connect themselves with the city.“ARI Registry Services is proud to launch this digital asset for use by all residents and businesses in the State. It provides an opportunity to get the perfect web address.”Kinderis said savvy registrants now have the chance to join .sydney ambassadors, such as BridgeClimb Sydney (www.bridgeclimb.sydney) and What’s On Sydney (www.whatson.sydney) in making digital history and taking advantage of the benefits that .sydney domain names offer.Stephanie Williams, Sydney Fish Market CSR & External Relations Manager, said the new .sydney domain name will help strengthen the market’s connection with the city.“Sydney Fish Market is a must do for many visitors to Sydney and has been an institution amongst Sydney locals for decades. It is important for our organisation to continue to innovate and engage our consumers online.“As the authority on all things seafood and fish in Sydney, it makes perfect sense for us to adopt the domain names www.fishmarket.sydney and www.seafood.sydney.”Luna Park Sydney’s Marketing Manager, Darrin Parker said registering a .sydney web address was an important element in their digital marketing strategy.“As an icon of the Sydney tourism industry, it was important to ensure visitors can easily find information about Luna Park on the Internet. We believe that www.lunapark.sydney will improve the online experience for our visitors and give us a competitive advantage in Sydney’s fierce tourism market.”Kinderis said .sydney web addresses will be an innovative way for individuals and businesses to clearly display an online affiliation to the city.“Advertisers, digital marketers, major brands and even small businesses and tradespeople like www.plumber.sydney can now embrace .sydney domain names and target consumers in a way that has never been possible before.”“Navigating the Internet through .sydney domain names will be the easiest way to identify products and organisations serving the Sydney and New South Wales community, and provide savvy businesses with an opportunity to own an entire industry category online.”According to Kinderis, there have been around 5,000 registrations for the .melbourne domain since its launch in November last year, and he expects an even bigger take-up of the .sydney domain over coming months.Melbourne was only the third city in the world - after London and New York – to get its own top level domain name when .melbourne was launched last November.To register a .sydney web address or to find out more information, click here