BESydney expands the 2012 ABEE Hosted Buyer Program

Australia’s leading convention bureau, Business Events Sydney (BESydney), in conjunction with the Australian Business Event Expo (ABEE) and airline partner Qantas, has expanded the ABEE Hosted Buyer Program to include both Hosted and Semi-hosted Buyer Programs that will run from 14–16 August 2012.

Last year’s Hosted Buyer Program catered for a qualified number of fully hosted buyers. This year, expanding the program to two streams will introduce more local buyers to the show floor and enhance the quality and quantity of appointments for exhibitors.

“The expansion of the ABEE Hosted Buyer Program is a strategic decision to ensure ABEE’s show floor continues to be a dynamic platform for supplier and client connection, networking and business,” comments Lyn Lewis-Smith, CEO of BESydney.

“The two distinct programs ensure that both the hosted and semi-hosted buyer experience is productive, as well as educational, and really delivers on the modern day buyer’s needs. We’ve acted on feedback provided by previous participants and have made supplier appointments, key site inspections and networking the priorities in both programs.”

Jodie Richmond, CEO of Exhibition and Trade Fairs (the owner of ABEE) adds, “It is fantastic to work alongside Business Events Sydney and airline partner Qantas to grow the already successful ABEE Hosted Buyer Program. Our combined understanding of the business event market, paired with a savvy, concise format, will see the Program deliver enhanced results to both our Buyers and our Exhibitors this year.

Hosted buyers will receive complimentary Qantas return travel to Sydney and 2 nights' accommodation in a leading Sydney hotel. This program includes participation in the educational program that is punctuated with fantastic speaking talent, scheduled appointments, the Destination Site Inspection Tour, gala events and all ground logistics.

Semi-hosted buyers will have the opportunity to schedule appointments with suppliers, listen to selected speakers on the educational program and enjoy the ABEE Hosted Buyer Dinner. They will also have the option of participating in a full-day Destination Site Inspection Tour.

The Australian Business Events Expo runs from 15–16 August 2012 at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre and is the ultimate marketplace for business events in Australia.

Sydney's Mega-Events Migrating to Sydney Olympic Park

With the upcoming closure of the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre (SCEC), many of Sydney’s larger events have already announced their re-location to Sydney Olympic Park.

This week two major events, the 2014 and 2016 Sydney-based Australian International Motor Show and the 2014 Rotary International Convention have releases statements about the relocation.

Yesterday (18 June) Minister for Tourism and Major Events, George Souris, announced that Rotary International has confirmed its 2014 Rotary International Convention event will remain in Sydney, and will re-locate to Sydney Olympic Park.

After winning the initial bid in 2006, Sydney was required to resubmit an extensive proposal showcasing Sydney Olympic Park as the host venue, due to the closure of SCEC from the end of this year for an extensive three- year expansion and redevelopment of the Sydney International Convention and Exhibition Precinct (SICEEP).

The 2014 Rotary International Convention will be held in June and is expected to attract up to 18,000 delegates who will spend 72,000 delegate days in Sydney and deliver an economic impact of $60.5 million to the state.

“This is a great example of NSW’s flexibility and agility when it comes to hosting world-class events. Government and the private sector have rallied together to make sure that the promised Rotary 2014 event will be delivered seamlessly, despite the required venue change,” said Souris.

“This is a spectacular result for our visitor economy, with the event delivering an estimated economic impact of $60.5 million. It is also a strong demonstration that Sydney is well and truly open for business – even during the SICEEP development period.”

Business Events Sydney’s (BESydney) CEO Lyn Lewis-Smith said, “We are thrilled to hear that the international Rotary delegation will still be coming to Sydney in 2014. Such a mega-event is an amazing opportunity to demonstrate the skill and adaptability of our industry.”

“BESydney worked hand in hand with the NSW Government and Sydney Olympic Park Authority on venue options. We showcased the flexibility, diversity and passion that ‘Team Sydney’ had to offer the Rotary event in 2014. This has delivered a fantastic outcome for Sydney, NSW and Australia’s global reputation,” she added.

The 2012 Australian International Motor Show in October will remain at SCEC.

“Whilst the SCEC has been our home for twenty three shows, we are very much looking forward to the opportunities presented to us and exhibitors alike at Sydney Showground,” said Australian International Motor Show, event director, Russ Tyrie.

“The Sydney Olympic Park venue will enable the Motor Show to grow and become a more diverse event, with the expansive outdoor areas giving exhibitors more room and the chance to host both on and off stand activities – the possibilities are practically endless.”

“SCEC has been a wonderful venue for Motor Shows in Sydney over the years, hosting hundreds of model reveals with almost five million visitors streaming through its doors to see the best that the Australian automotive industry has to offer,” said Tyrie.

“We’re looking forward to seeing how the plans shape up for its redevelopment; but rest assured, the 2012 Australian International Motor Show at SCEC promises to be a fantastic send-off to a great venue.”

Jewellers Optimistic as 2012 Fairs Approach

Anticipation is growing for the jewellery industry as the 2012 trade fair season approaches.

The ‘jewellery trade fair season’ begins next month with Victoria hosting the Melbourne Jewellery Fair March 4-5 at the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton Gardens, while the Brisbane Jewellery Fair takes place March 25-26 at the Brisbane Exhibition Centre in Southbank.

For the second consecutive year Australia will stage three jewellery fairs, with Sydney hosting the main event in September.

Director for wholesaler Ellani Collections, Paul Hicks, told Jeweller last year’s Melbourne fair was well supported and set in a positive atmosphere.

“I expect Melbourne to be even better for me this year,” Hicks said. “After a great Sydney fair and Christmas I’ve acquired a lot of new accounts and Melbourne has left me constantly busy.”

Hicks stressed the importance of having a third fair, saying it’s a great opportunity for retailers around the country to build relationships with suppliers and vice-versa.

“Australia and New Zealand is so spread out that it’s almost impossible to see everyone so the Melbourne and Brisbane fairs are great for everyone to come together,” Hicks added. “Retailing can be a tough gig at the moment so for them to see the wholesalers and form a view of where their business should head is beneficial.”

Duraflex Group director, Phil Edwards, said Thomas Sabo and Spinning Jewelry are launching new ranges at the Melbourne and Brisbane fairs.

“We’re using both fairs to launch two different products and hope to attain good feedback and high attendance rates,” Edwards told Jeweller. “We will have representatives from Thomas Sabo visiting Melbourne and overseas reps will be coming to Brisbane as well.”

Edwards intends to use both fairs as a solid testing ground for future years, with the supplier paying close attention to attendance and retailers’ feedback.

Royal Exhibition Centre in Melbourne's Carlton Gardens

“It’s unusual having two fairs so close together but this year’s fairs will be a testing ground for our new range of products,” Edwards said. “It will be a good chance to monitor retailers’ feedback and keep track of attendance levels.”

Registration

Fair organiser, Expertise Events advises that visitors to the 2011 fairs will have received a new Buyer Identification card making registration simple. Visitors with a blue photo card need only to mark the dates and present the card upon entry to the Melbourne and/or Brisbane fairs for immediate access.

Visitors still holding a past gold buyer card will be required to update their registration and new visitors or those updating their record can download a registration form from the Jewellery Fair website.

Expertise Events managing director, Gary Fitz-Roy said, “With three fairs along Australia’s east coast, the JAA Jewellery Fairs are an ideal chance for jewellery retailers to top-up their stocks and get in-tune with the latest trends after Christmas.”

Both the Melbourne and Brisbane trade fairs will each present over 90 exhibitors offering finished jewellery, retail services, watches and jeweller’s supplies.

Business Events Sydney - Bid Win Announcments

The following have just been announced as bid wins for Business Events Sydney

Meeting of the International Society for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Research (ISSTDR) combined with the General Assembly and Congress of the International Union Against Sexually Transmitted Infections (IUSTI)

Date: September 2015
Delegates: 1,500 over 4 days with 32 exhibition booths
Estimated value: $5 million

The 2015 conference in Sydney will be the first time it will be held outside of North America and Europe. It will also combine with the 2015 General Assembly and Congress of the International Union Against Sexually Transmitted Infections, which will be held in Melbourne in 2012.

Held biennially, these scientific meetings have emerged as the world's premier scientific conference on STDs and their health consequences for populations around the globe. The meetings attract scientists, trainees and students from academia and public health.

The bid document, prepared by Business Events Sydney (BESydney) reflected the strong industry and government support for the conference to be held in Sydney. Atlanta also bid for the events.

Next steps

Dates have been confirmed at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Australasian Society for HIV Medicine (ASHM) will manage the conference and BESydney is providing support with marketing and PR opportunities.

ACER (Australian Centre for Education Research) Research Conference

Date: August 2012
Delegates: 1,000 over 3 days
Estimated value: $1.8 million

ACER is an independent research body and a leader in the provision of quality educational research, both within Australia and internationally.

The conference is attended by school principles, school leaders, academics - education departments in universities and government departments - policy makers.

The conference hasn't been held in Sydney since 1998. Competing cities were Melbourne and Brisbane.

The client advised that assistance from Business Events Sydney (BESydney) was instrumental in securing the conference for Sydney.

Next steps

The conference which is managed in-house, will be held at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre. Accommodation options are managed by Ultimate Conferences.

12th International Conference on Thai Studies

Date: 2014
Delegates: 300 over 4 days
Estimated value: $790,224

This conference is held every three years and is a well-established forum for researchers across disciplines to share knowledge and perspectives on Thailand and Thai culture.

Business Events Sydney (BESydney) prepared the bid document focusing on the strength of research in the field, venues, social functions, destination appeal and letters of support. Japan was also being considered as host for this event.

Next steps

The conference will be held at the University of Sydney. AccessNSW will assist with sourcing social function venues and accommodation blocks.

International Choice Modelling Conference (ICMC)

Date: 2013
Delegates: 300 over 4 days
Estimated value: $790,000

Choice modelling attempts to replicate and predict the decision making process of an individual or market segment. The ICMC is a biennial event that has been running since 2009. The first two conferences were held in the United Kingdom.

Business Events Sydney (BESydney) assisted the local clients by developing a targeted proposal that addressed the key bidding criteria. This event will be timed to coincide with the 9th World Congress on Health Economics in 2013, also a BESydney bid win, to maximise delegate numbers.

Next steps

BESydney will work with the clients to select a university as the venue. AccessNSW will assist with the selection of social function venues.

International Engineering Alliance (IEA) Workshop

Date: 2012
Delegates: 100 over 4 days
Estimated value: $263,408

The International Alliance was formed to provide an agreement governing mutual recognition of engineering qualifications and professional competence.

The annual IEA Workshop aims to identify and discuss key issues in the industry and formulate recommendations for the Biennial General Meetings of the IEA. Delegates who attend this workshop are senior engineering decision makers.

BESydney assisted with preparation of a bid document and sourced venue proposals for the client. Attendees at the 2011 workshop in Taipei voted on the 2012 destination. Sydney was the successful destination.

Next steps

Engineers Australia will use the services of AccessNSW to secure a venue for this workshop.

Conference & Function Packages at Metro Hotel Sydney Central - Sydney Conferences

Metro Hotel Sydney Central has 3 meeting spaces for conferences:

Metro Hotel Sydney Central Function Room,
Indigo Restaurant
Indigo Restaurant Boardroom
All conference spaces are available 7 days a week, subject to availability.

Whether you're planning a small business meeting for 2 or a theatre style conference for 140, we can tailor make your event with professionalism.

Our 'all in one' policy including conference equipment, room hire* and catering makes it quick and easy to book a successful hassle-free event.

Please call us to discuss any event you may have in mind. Our basic packages are listed below however, we are happy to design a package to cater specifically to your needs.

Conference/Function Rooms
Metro Hotel Sydney Central Function Room is located on the 1st floor of the hotel with access available via the stairs in the reception area or direct external access from Pitt Street. The room offers a pre-function gathering area right outside the function room with space for a breakout area or simply just a registration table.

Size - 13.5m x 12.7m
Height - 3.3m
Theatre Style - maximum of 140 people
Classroom Style - maximum of 60 people
Boardroom Style - maximum of 40 people
U-Shape - maximum of 35 people
Indigo on Capitol Restaurant is located on the second floor. It has lift access and also an outdoor courtyard. Indigo on Capitol can only be hired in sections for large group bookings.
Height - 2.5m
Dinner - maximum of 250 people
Cocktail - maximum of 300 people
Indigo on Capitol Boardroom is located on the second floor in addition to Indigo on Capitol Restaurant.
Size - 6.5m x 3.5m
Height - 2.5m
Boardroom Style - maximum of 10 people
Accommodation
Metro Hotel Sydney Central also has a range of accommodation available for any guests wishing to stay whilst attending a conference.

View Metro Hotel Sydney Central

For conference and accommodation enquiries please contact-

Edyta Ryczter (Conference Business Development Executive)
Metro Hotel Sydney Central
Direct Phone: +61 2 9288 0141
Direct Fax: +61 2 9288 0173
E-mail: EdytaR@metrohg.com