Amway China chooses Sydney

Over 10,000 Amway China delegates will arrive in Sydney for the annual Leadership Seminar in March 2017.

The group is staying for five days and four nights and will conference at the newly opened ICC Sydney.

The associate director of special events of Amway China Charming Cao said, “We aim to motivate our Amway China team to reach and exceed their sales targets, knowing that their reward will be an exciting trip to the always beautiful and thrilling city of Sydney.

“Our delegates will experience the modern world-class facilities of the newly opened ICC Sydney and an exciting, appealing program of activities.

“Amway China delegates reported a 93% satisfaction rating during their last visits to Sydney and we look forward to inspiring and entertaining our delegates again in 2017.”

ICC Sydney CEO Geoff Donaghy said, “The Amway China Leadership Seminar is shaping up to be ICC Sydney’s first major incentive event in 2017 and we couldn’t be more excited to be hosting an event of such prestige, scale and importance. It is certainly an event befitting of the capability and grandeur of the new ICC Sydney.”

Business Events Sydney was instrumental in securing this piece of business that is estimated to be worth around $15 million to the NSW economy.

By Emma Gardiner on August 3, 2015

Source: http://www.spicenews.com.au/2015/08/amway-china-chooses-sydney/

Sydney number one destination for business events in Australia

Sydney has been ranked Australia’s leading destination for conferences and professional meetings, following the release of the Union of International Associations (UIA) 2014 International Meetings Statistics Report. Stuart Ayres, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events, said the results see Sydney ranked first in Australia and among the top 20 globally.

“This is a tremendous achievement and reinforces Sydney’s appeal as one of the best places in the world to meet. I applaud Business Events Sydney for securing major international events for our city, having delivered over USD 1 billion worth of economic impact for NSW over the past five years. This is just another example of Sydney leading the way for the rest of the nation,” Ayres said.

Lyn Lewis-Smith, CEO, Business Events Sydney, said results complement the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) rankings, which also placed Sydney as number one in the nation. “These results are just fabulous and better than many might have anticipated or expected. They really are a credit to the city – its can-do and collaborative spirit and reputation as a reliable place to do business,” Lewis-Smith said.

“It just reinforces that the government’s courageous decision to redevelop the city’s convention facilities at Darling Harbour was the right one. We are a city that is open to and embraces big ideas and bold moves,” Lewis-Smith concluded.

Business Events Sydney has secured almost 120 events worth USD 277 million in new money for the NSW economy, including more than 20 events for International Convention Centre Sydney, opening in December 2016.

By TBM Staff | Mumbai

Source: http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/Top-Stories/sydney-number-one-destination-for-business-events-in-australia-27613

Sydney - Tips for Taking a Journey Down Under

Sydney - Tips for Taking a Journey 
Down Under

Sydney is Australia’s largest city and also the jumping-off point for exploring the country. It is also the city with the most inbound flights from North America. Here are some essential tips to plan and enjoy your visit.





Air fare tips



October to March is Sydney’s busiest tourism period, when the weather is most pleasant. Air fares are cheaper for travel during Australia’s winter months (the North American summer), and higher for the Australian summer, with the Southern Hemisphere’s spring and fall being shoulder season. Qantas offers the most nonstop flights, including some on Airbus A380 aircraft from Dallas and Los Angeles.



Air New Zealand also flies to Sydney (sign up for both airlines’ email alerts since they often send out promo codes with discounts of $200-$300) as does United and Virgin Australia. Expect to pay anywhere from $895 to $1,600 or more round-trip in economy class from the U.S. West Coast depending on season and whatever discounts you can find. Hotel plus air package deals can sometimes provide extra value, but always be sure to compare. Qantas also sells “Walkabout” air passes with discounted fares throughout Australia.




Getting through the airport



U.S. citizens must get an electronic visa online at least two weeks before travel (www.eta.immi.gov.­au/ETA/etas.jsp) for AUD $20. If you have an “electronic passport” with a microchip, look for the kiosks at immigration for a quicker entry into the country. You need to fill out an immigration card on entry, as well as upon leaving the country. The train from the airport costs $21, round-trip.



Getting around the city



Sydney is very walkable — it’s basically flat, with no hills to climb, and the streets are well marked. (Warning: Pedestrians do not jaywalk, and police are not hesitant to fine you for doing so, and be sure to look both ways crossing streets — they drive on the left here.) Newsstands sell the recently introduced Opal Card, a stored-value transit card similar to London’s Oyster Card and the cheapest and most convenient way to access public transportation.





The daily maximum you’ll pay for travel is capped at $15 for adults, $7.50 for children, or $60/$30 for a weeks’ worth of travel, which includes buses, trains and ferries. As for taxis, they are metered, and in egalitarian Sydney, where everyone is a “mate,” people still ride in the front seat with the driver. Uber has come to town, and is gaining popularity.



Top eats



There’s no “traditional” Australian or Sydney dish or cuisine other than, perhaps, “shrimp on the barbie,” made famous by actor Paul Hogan’s appearances in those tourism television ads. But Sydney now has a considerable food culture, even though it’s only been in existence for about 30 years. Australian beef is an especially tasty option, and you’ll find lamb dishes on many menus. For fine dining, two highly recommended options are Nomad, 16 Foster St. in Surry Hills, with its Mediterranean-inspired menu sourced with local Australian ingredients, and long-running Rockpool, now in a new location at 11 Bridge St. in the Central Business District, where chef Neal Perry also provides tasty menus for Qantas.



Top attractions



Tours of the Sydney Opera House (sydneyopera house.com/tours), which, amazingly, took 17 years to build, are extremely popular and a great photo opportunity. The standard tour takes one hour, while the backstage option lasts two hours. For many who do it, climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge is a highlight of their trip. Do it at sunrise or twilight for the best views. Just be warned, you will take a breathalyzer test (under .05 to climb) and cameras, phones or other loose objects are not allowed, all for safety’s sake. Even jaded locals are amazed by the experience.



Annual festivals



Every January the Sydney Festival stages around 400 contemporary cultural performances: some 140 events performed by more than 1,000 artists in more than 30 venues. In October, the annual Good Food Month (www.goodfood.com.au) brings street food festivals and other culinary events to Sydney.



Off the beaten track



Don’t be confused when Sydneysiders talk about “suburbs” — these are what you and I call “neighborhoods,” inner-city enclaves similar to Sunnyside, Queens in New York City, and there are hundreds of them; they include virtually anything outside the Central Business District. For an unusual insider’s tour of “emerging” ’hoods such as Redfern and Darlington and hidden scenic spots that few tourists see, in a beautifully restored 1964 Holden sedan, sign up with My Sydney Detour, a unique private tour run by native son Richard Graham. A half-day tour costs $299 for up to three people and includes lunch.



Exchange rate



The U.S. dollar currently fetches 1.29 Australian dollars (last year it was $1.14, so your money buys even more now).



Tipping



Tips are not customary nor are they expected, perhaps because the minimum wage is $17 an hour.



Electricity



Voltage is 220-240, and you will need both an outlet adaptor and a voltage converter if you’re using appliances without built-in converters (you don’t want to fry your curling iron or WaterPik). Even many top hotels, airport lounges and other venues lack 110-volt outlets, although they usually provide adaptors on request, or you can get them from housekeeping, but it’s best to bring your own.



Useful apps



Locals give high marks to the TimeOut Sydney and Australia Good Food Guide apps. The Sydney Official Guide app from Destination New South Wales is also highly rated. Arrivo Sydney (Android) and NextThere (iOS) are useful public transit apps.


Useful websites



Destination New South Wales: www.destination nsw.com.au



Air fare listings to Sydney: www.airfarewatchdog.­com/cheap-flights/to-­sydney-australia/1941



A postcard home



You’ll pay a rather pricey $2.60 to send that cute koala to the U.S. and Europe.



View Source Article

Sydney Showground Reveals Infrastructure Upgrades

Spice caught up with Sydney Showground general manager Peter Thorpe to find out what’s in store for the year ahead.

What are the planned infrastructure upgrades?The main upgrades include site-wide fibre and data cable upgrade, kitchen equipment upgrades, CCTV upgrade from analogue to digital and an upgrade to 50,000 hour LED of house lighting and lighting controls within The Dome and Halls 2, 3 and 4, providing significant flexibility of use and the ability to dim all lights collectively or individually making further energy savings.

When can we expect them to be completed?
By the end of September 2015.

What are the obstacles to getting these upgrades approved?
No obstacles, these projects have all been funded and approved but need to go through a rigorous procurement process and take time to undertake in an operating venue where works have to be scheduled around client requirements.

Why do you think it’s important to have light rail access to Sydney Olympic Park?
Sydney Olympic Park corridor represents a significant urban renewal opportunity. It is a pivotal and suitable location for increased density in terms of residential, commercial, retail, educational and cultural activity, however site residents and users need quick and simple access to key areas such as Parramatta and the City. The proposed Light Rail route will provide this access.

How much will it cost?
Unknown at this stage.

Who will pay for it?
It is anticipated that private enterprise would provide 100% of the required funding subject to the required density uplift.

Where is this process up to?It is anticipated that the NSW Government will make an announcement soon after the upcoming state election.

View Source

International Conference on Telecommunications Sydney (ICT 2015)

The 22nd International Conference on Telecommunications (ICT 2015) will be held at the Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney from 27 – 29 April 2015 right after ICASSP 2015 in Brisbane, Australia.

 Sydney is the capital of New South Wales and is graced with one of the most beautiful harbors in the world. Sydney is known for its harbor lifestyle and fantastic beaches, which contribute to a relaxed atmosphere that pervades the city. 

 It is an ideal place for scientists and engineers from around the world to gather and share their ideas.

Telecommunications networks are advancing to a new era to support the unprecedented growth of the internet and cellular network usage for communications and information services. Therefore, the aim of ICT 2015 is to gather world-class researchers to share their ideas and progress on solving the future challenges that the telecommunication networks face.

ICT 2015 will feature world-class plenary speakers, tutorials and regular and special technical sessions from academia, research laboratories, government and industry to discuss and exchange ideas in the field of wireless and cable telecommunications network, services and applications.

View source post to register and find out more

The EB Expo Returns to Sydney In 2015

The EB Expo Returns to Sydney In 2015

EB Games was hardly going to turn its back on one of its best concepts ever, but just in case there was ever any doubt, today it was announced that the EB Expo is returning to Sydney in 2015.

The official date is October 2 until October 4 and tickets go on sale 9am AEDT on April 16. You can purchase them on the EB Expo website, at EB Games stores or through oztix.com.au. The event will be held, once again, at Sydney Showgrounds. It is, admittedly, a pretty cool venue.

If you’ve been to previous EB Expos you’ll know what to expect: early looks at upcoming video games, some event-style panels, and my personal favourite: a Waluigi made out of balloons.

Most major publishers seems slated to attend. PlayStation, XBOX, Nintendo, Activision, Bethesda, Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment are currently confirmed.

“EB Expo continues to set the standards by celebrating the video game industry and embracing pop culture. We’re boasting the most unreleased games of any exhibition in Australia this year,” said EB Games Marketing and Events Director Debra McGrath.

A couple of cool things to note: John Robertson, of ‘The Dark Room’ fame, will be performing at the show. Turns out he’s bringing his critically acclaimed show The Dark Room to the event. I’ve been super keen to check that out, so this is a positive.

Also — bizarrely — The Umbilical Brothers are also going to be performing. That’s cool. I guess? What does it have to do with video games? No-one knows (or possibly cares).

“Every year the EB Expo team will continue to add fresh new elements to the mix and we’re really looking forward to wow-ing our existing and new crowds with original content,” said Debra. I guess that might explain it.

I’ve always enjoyed the EB Expo and it does manage to get its fair share of top notch exclusive content. I played Titanfall there for the first time. That was cool.

Sydney and NSW to shine at AIME 201

Off the back of its award-winning presence in 2014, Destination Sydney will return bigger than ever to Asia Pacific’s premier annual trade show – the 23rd Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo (AIME 2015) in Melbourne.


With 15 co-exhibitors by its side, Business Events Sydney (BESydney) will be out to show the 3,000 meetings industry professionals why Sydney and New South Wales (NSW) shine as the best places on earth to meet.  


“It’s an electrifying time with cranes creating a new skyline for Sydney. This is not the Sydney we knew a decade ago – or even a year ago,” said BESydney CEO Lyn Lewis-Smith. “ICC Sydney is just part of around A$60 billion in major infrastructure investments that will transform Sydney now and into the future.”

And, with this week’s commitment by the NSW Government to provide a $123.35 million or 25 per cent boost to the sector, the future for the State is even brighter. NSW is already home to an exceptional calendar of major events. There’ll be even more activities from Sydney to the regions for visitors to participate in and experience.

“The NSW Government’s commitment to growing the visitor economy is undisputed. In addition to its $1.1 billion capital investment in new convention, exhibition and entertainment facilities, the government is investing in a host of programs and projects to ensure the harbour city continues to be a globally attractive place to live, work and visit,” said Ms Lewis-Smith.

“The Government also understands the role that business events play in helping it to achieve broader economic development goals and BESydney is proud to be recognised by its government as contributing to both the knowledge and visitor economy.”

While at AIME this year, Ms Lewis-Smith will also represent the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux (AACB) in her role as President to champion a new Federal Government agreement and explain what it means for the industry. Recently, the Australian Minister for Trade and Investment, the Hon. Andrew Robb AO MP, recognised international business events as an integral part of the government’s economic diplomacy agenda and announced an historic new framework – Attracting Business Events to Australia: Role of Government Agencies.

“Engagement across all levels of government is strong. And, while we’re counting down the months until our cutting-edge convention and exhibition facilities are complete, rest assured that Sydney is well and truly open for business in the lead up to this milestone,” added Ms Lewis-Smith.

“Last year, Sydney hosted 78 international conferences, conventions and incentive events, including some of the largest ever to be staged in Australia, breaking records along the way. Both the 105th Rotary International Convention and 6th IUCN World Parks Congress exceeded organiser expectations, attracting more than 2,000 participants above forecasts, and record country attendance.”

BESydney’s co-exhibitors include the Australian Technology Park Sydney; Australian Turf Club; InterContinental Sydney; InterContinental Sydney Double Bay; Destination Wollongong; Sofitel Sydney Wentworth; The Menzies Sydney, Novotel Rooty Hill & Novotel Rockford; Accor NSW Golf, Valley & Vines; Mercure Sydney and Novotel Sydney Darling Harbour; Accor Hotels Sydney; Accor NSW Regional Coastal Hotels; Australian National Maritime Museum; Blue Mountains, Lithgow and Oberon Tourism; BridgeClimb Sydney and Explore Sailing; and Shangri-La Hotel Sydney.

Source: http://www.incentivetravel.co.uk/news/australia/25051-sydney-and-nsw-to-shine-at-aime-201