Update on ATE 11 - Tourism Events NSW

It’s only four weeks until ATE11 commences in Sydney. Tourism NSW will keep the industry up-to-date with the latest developments and activities including a special daily ATE Insights email bulletin and Twitter posts as the event gets underway. Tourism NSW will also ask industry to share their ATE news with us or publication in the ATE bulletin. More details on the bulletin to come.

Current ATE developments include:

Around 40 students from the International College of Management in Manly will assist Tourism NSW in the Volunteer Program. In this pilot program, the students will be involved in escorting Sydney and NSW familiarisation tours and providing “meet and greet” and services at official Tourism NSW ATE functions. Tourism NSW briefed students yesterday at the college.

Tourism NSW and the Australian Hotels Association NSW are holding an ATE11 briefing for hotel concierge staff on Wednesday, 23 March. Concierge teams will be briefed on the event, functions and activities. The briefing will help concierges to assist ATE delegates staying at their hotels.

The AHA has distributed invitations with the following details: ATE Update, 3.30 pm registration for 3.45 pm start. AHA NSW, Hudson House, Level 15, 131 Macquarie Street, Sydney. The event will be followed by a networking function. RSVP: rebecca.norcross@ahansw.com.au or (02) 8218 1847 by 14 March. Pleas note: this event is for hotel concierge staff only.

A New Zealand fact sheet has been added to the ATE11 Special Series on international market segments. To see the fact sheets click here. The ATE section on the Tourism NSW Corporate website is being regularly updated with information for delegates and the industry.

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Sydney Functions: Business Events Sydney Ambassador Program Achieves the Next Milestone

Sydney Functions: Business Events Sydney Ambassador Program Achieves the Next Milestone

RSVP11 Kicks Off New Look

Feathers, stockings and boy bands took over the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre earlier this week for the Sydney RSVP11 Launch Party.

Boys in the Band entertainment welcomed up to 500 attendees with classic music from Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, the Beatles and Jackson Five.

As part of the event, RSVP unveiled its new events look which Sydney’s Event Showcase event manager Delwin Kriel said took months of planning and research with focus groups involving event visitors and exhibitors.

“RSVP11 will tantalise all your senses from smelling, touching and hearing,” Mr Kriel said.

“We have changed the colour... and are depicting the glamour and seriousness of the events industry.”

(Source: eTravelBlackboard 4th March 2011)

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Sydney Bags Another Massive Incentive Group Win

Shortly after hosting the mega 8,500 pax Amway China Leadership Seminar event in January, Business Events Sydney (BESydney) today announces that Sydney will welcome close to 3,000 LG Group incentive delegates from Korea to the harbour city this year. This group is expected to generate $14.4 million to the local economy.

Qualified LG staff will travel in weekly waves to Sydney between the periods of March to June and September to October this year.

Similar to Amway China who visited Sydney in 2005 and again this year, LG is a long-time client of Sydney. A repeat visit from this conglomerate is a clear indication that Sydney can continue to provide the inspiration that companies need to motivate sales staff.

"We continue to build on the strong base of business relations we have established in Asia over the years to engage and encourage interest for Sydney. For clients who have been to Sydney before, our role becomes even more exciting as we need to constantly evolve our ideas and recommendations.

Winning events for the city is a great achievement. With competition intensifying, retaining loyalty is an even bigger win for the team. This is exactly what we are doing, "said Mr Jon Hutchison AM, Chief Executive Officer BESydney.

LG's itinerary will encompass a wide range of NSW experiences. Besides a full day's program in the city, delegates will spend a day in the Blue Mountains and then venture north to overnight in Port Stephens. Delegates will also have the option to select a farm experience or a tour of the Central Coast region.

Sydney was recently selected as the Best MICE /Conventions Destination in 2010 by 55,000 mice.net readers.

Mr Hutchison added, "Sydney is certainly setting its sights to further grow its position as Australia's leading city for conferences, corporate meetings and incentive groups. It takes a whole of a city collaboration to bring it all together."

Since opening its office in Hong Kong in 2003, BESydney has confirmed an estimated $316 million worth of business from Asia for Sydney, of which 75% originates from North Asia.

"With still four months to go to the end of the financial year, our Asia team has already confirmed 17 incentive programs, which is double the number of wins this time last year. This translates to a total of $35.3 million of incentive business secured for the State, an increase of 42% from last year," added Mr Hutchison.

(Source: TravMedia.com 25th February 2011)

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Sydney Functions: Sydney Boosts Budget to Lure Events to City

Sydney Functions: Sydney Boosts Budget to Lure Events to City

Major Medical Conferences Converge on Sydney

The Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre will next month welcome the first of thousands of international medical specialists in a busy year for major conferences.

Sydney’s biggest conference of 2011 begins on March 18 with 4000 delegates arriving for the eight-day Asia Pacific Congress of Ophthalmology, one of more than a dozen major medical events on the Centre’s calendar.

It will be preceded by the 6th World Congress on Pediatric Critical Care, expected to attract 1500 international delegates for seven days from March 11.

Other major medical events at the Centre this year include the Pharmacy Expo 2011 for 2800 delegates in June, the Australian Medical Students Convention 2011 for 1000 delegates in July and the HAA-ISHAPD 2011 haematology conference for 1500 delegates in October.

Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre Chief Executive Ton van Amerongen said the proliferation of important medical events demonstrated Sydney’s continuing strength in the fields of scientific and medical research.

“Sydney has traditionally been a strong source of medical innovation and the city is home to very active and successful medical and pharmaceutical industries,” Mr van Amerongen said. “At the Centre we play a very important part in connecting Australian innovators with leaders in their fields from around the world, and our continuing ability to attract these prestigious international conferences is a sign of our success in that role.”

As Australia’s busiest events venue, the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre will this year welcome more than one million people through its doors, attending more than 600 meetings, banquets, conferences, exhibitions and public events.

Among other high-profile events this year are the Australian Tourism Exchange for 2000 people in March-April and the new exhibition Grand Designs Live in October, based on the popular television program and expected to draw 15,000 people.

Having last year unveiled a contemporary new look for its Convention Centre Parkside, the Centre is now putting finishing touches to the final phase in its Parkside enhancements. A new system of moveable walls will allow greater flexibility and allow event organisers to create tailored configurations and exploit additional open spaces within the Centre.

“Along with recent investments in technology, interior design and environmental initiatives, these latest works help the Centre retain its place as Australia’s leading conference venue,” Mr van Amerongen said.

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(Source: ETBMICE.com 17th February 2011)

Conference Special at Metro Inn Ryde @ Metro Inn Ryde - Metro Hotels

Conference Special at Metro Inn Ryde @ Metro Inn Ryde - Metro Hotels