Earlier this month, Sea World Resort on Australia's Gold coast celebrated its 20th birthday with a party for 240 VIP and industry guests, who were welcomed onto the red carpet by Sea World stars Elmo and Cookie Monster and Warner Bros. Movie World characters, Batman, Catwoman, Shrek and Austin Powers.

Speaking to guests at the event, Ernst Pfister, general manager of Sea World Resort, said: "In the last 20 years, Sea World Resort has hosted five million guests who have eaten 150,000kg of prawns, consumed 100,000 bottles of wine and 500,000 stubbies of beer.

"The resort has spent AUD$17 million spent on cleaning, AUD $5 million on electricity bills and changed AUD $180 000 worth of light bulbs."

Pfister has been general manager of the resort since it opened as Sea World Nara resort in 1988. Since then it has changed its name (in 2006) and seen a major refurbishment in 2007.