Sydney. As the hoardings go up for the construction of the new International Convention Centre Sydney at Darling Harbour (ICC Sydney), Acting Premier Andrew Stoner announced that Business Events Sydney has secured seven international events for the venue worth almost $50 million to the state economy.
“The success we have had so far in securing events for ICC Sydney, three years from its opening in late 2016, is phenomenal” Mr Stoner said.
“Securing these events, in addition to the ones already booked for the interim exhibition centre Glebe Island, is a vote of confidence in the NSW Government’s plans for the state’s conventions and exhibitions industry. It shows that there is a lot of faith in Sydney as Australia’s leading business events destination, and that we are living up to our reputation by delivering world-class infrastructure. ICC Sydney is part of the NSW Government’s $2.5 billion transformation of Darling Harbour.
In just three years’ time, Darling Harbour will have undergone its biggest change in 25 years with a new hotel, new convention, exhibition and entertainment facilities, and work started on a new neighbourhood in the Haymarket that is humming with activity from cafes, shops, apartments and offices. This development is as much about creating an even better place for Sydneysiders as it is about reinforcing the city’s place as a leading global destination for convention and exhibition business,” he said.
The seven international events BESydney has secured for Sydney’s new convention and exhibition facilities are:
•International Bar Association (IBA) Annual Conference 2017: 4,000 delegates estimated economic impact $18 million.
•2017 AIPPI World Intellectual Property Congress: 2,000 delegates, estimated economic impact $7.3 million.
•International Association of Restructuring Insolvency Bankruptcy Professionals (INSOL) World Quadrennial Congress 2017: 800 delegates, estimated economic impact over $2.1 million.
•International Conference of the Institute of Internal Auditors 2017: 1,600 delegates, estimated economic impact $6.8 million.
•Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors Congress: PAQS 2018: 500 delegates, estimated economic impact $2.2 million.
•20th International Congress of Cytology 2019: 1,200 delegates, estimated economic impact of $4.8 million.
•Confidential international meeting 2022: 1,500 delegates, estimated economic impact of $6 million.
BESydney’s CEO Lyn Lewis-Smith said, “Of the seven international events secured for ICC Sydney, at least six are directly linked to the state’s priority sectors and strengthen the Government’s approach to economic development. Our beautiful city is of course a drawcard for international events and their participants. It’s also essential that we showcase our city’s smarts – we are a creative and innovative modern global city with some of the world’s leading thinkers. The bid leaders and ambassadors that BESydney work with are a small but representative sample of this. The events that they have secured for ICC Sydney will have far-reaching benefits, building real connections, networks and fostering learning that could result in innovations and advances that benefit communities across the world.”
