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And to top it off, Sydney is hot when it comes to domestic meetings, according to an independent survey conducted on behalf of BT Publishing, publishers of mice.net magazine.
The Sydney Convention & Visitors Bureau’s latest Independent Delegate Study has found that the average international conference delegate now stays an average 7.2 nights, up from 6.6 nights in 2001, and spends an average $6868 per visit, up from $4330 in 2001.
The increase means delegates now spend almost seven times the amount spent by an average holidaymaker in Sydney, making business events one of the city’s most important sources of tourism income.
The 2006 International Delegate Study was conducted by Inside Story Research and Knowledge Management, on behalf of the SCVB and the Department of State and Regional Development (DSRD). It is the first such study conducted since 2001 and surveyed almost 1000 delegates attending five major conferences held at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre at Darling Harbour in the second half of 2006.
SCVB managing director Jon Hutchison said the survey confirmed the importance of the conference sector to the state’s economy.
“Sydney is Australia’s leading city for conferences and other business events and one of the top 10 cities in the Asia-Pacific region,” Mr Hutchison said.
“Sydney routinely hosts international conferences worth tens of millions of dollars, so it is vital we continue to support this sector and respond to growing competition from interstate and overseas.”
On average, conference delegates spend $651 per night in Sydney, compared to an average $99 per night for leisure tourists. Conference delegates from overseas spend an average $677 per night, while delegates from interstate spend an average $502 per night.
And as a further strong sign of the importance of the sector, nearly two-thirds of overseas delegates said they would return to Sydney for a holiday within the next five years.
“Conference delegates aren’t just important for their one-off attendance, they often come back with their family and they refer their friends and colleagues,” Mr Hutchison said.
“More importantly, they forge lasting business ties that are vital for the development of our state’s industries and exports – the opportunities that stem from a successful conference are enormous.”
The survey found perceptions of Sydney as a conference destination were very positive, with 90 per cent of delegates rating Sydney very good or reasonably good. Convention facilities were rated very good or reasonably good by 88 per cent, while accommodation was rated very good or reasonably good by 79 per cent.
Qantas was the most popular airline for international delegates, bringing 31 per cent of visitors, followed by Singapore Airlines with 13 per cent. Among interstate delegates, 61 per cent flew Qantas and 27 per cent flew Virgin Blue.
The majority of conference delegates travelled to Sydney by themselves (68 per cent), though the number of people travelling per conference delegate was an average 1.7. Delegates from China were the most likely to bring other people with them, averaging 4.9 people per delegate.
The survey found a large portion of conference delegates planned to travel elsewhere in NSW and Australia while visiting Sydney. At least 41 per cent planned to visit places in NSW outside Sydney and 30 per cent planned to visit other parts of Australia, with Queensland the most popular interstate destination (20 per cent).
The 2006 International Delegate Study was supported by Tourism NSW, the City of Sydney, the Sydney Olympic Park Authority, the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, the NSW Major Events Board and the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority.
On the domestic front Sydney is also performing exceptionally well. Independent research into the meetings and events industry in Australia by Micromex Research and commissioned by mice.net magazine has revealed that Sydney is hot for domestic meetings.
The research of almost 1000 readers of mice.net magazine conducted in June 2007 found to the question – What domestic destinations are you considering for your next conference/event, 42.4 per cent of respondents said Sydney followed by Melbourne (34.6 per cent), Brisbane (18.4 per cent), and the Gold Coast (15.6 per cent).
Never one to sit still for too long, the Sydney Convention & Visitors Bureau has officially launched its Sydney Conference Card, which offers special deals with more than 60 companies, shops and outlets from a large range of sectors.
In July this year the Sydney Conference Card was distributed to national and international delegates at eight conferences, including the International Aids Society conference which attracted around 7000 delegates and partners.
The bureau anticipates that it will be distributed to more than 15,000 delegates and their partners until December this year. This included distribution to 600 VIP attendees and media of the APEC 2007 Summit held in September. To find out more visit www.sydneyconferencecard.com.au.
Sydney has jumped ahead of Paris, New York and Rome in the favourite overseas city stakes according to 30,000 readers of Conde Nast Traveller in the UK.
Ranking third in the survey in 2006, Sydney has jumped two places to take the top spot in the Conde Nast Traveller UK Readers’ Travel Awards 2007.
For cleanliness, Sydney scored a 94.78 mark, and a 93.68 mark for most user-friendly city. Paris scored highly for food/restaurants (96.30) although Barcelona, Cape Town and Bangkok all scored above 90 points. Sydney, however, scored 97.56 in this category.
Venice and Florence both scored perfect 100s in the beauty stakes, with Rome close behind on 97.78. But the total tally saw Sydney on top.
Australia ranked fourth in the countries category behind India, Italy and Thailand, while the Great Barrier Reef was named as the 10th best island destination in the world.
A “Healthy Meetings Study” undertaken by Hilton Sydney has revealed that 6.3 million working Australians think people fall asleep in meetings because of environmental factors. And 97 per cent of people surveyed say they start snoozing when boxed inside four walls without natural light, 88 per cent zone out after sitting in the one spot for too long, and a further 62 per cent of respondents blame poor quality catering.
Partnering with Dr Tom Mulholland, ‘Attitude Doctor’ at the international Healthy Thinking® Institute, Hilton Sydney has responded to the study by re-launching its Level 1 Hilton Meetings Centre.
Newly appointed hotel manager at the Hilton Sydney, Jerome Auvity, says the study showed that when it comes to factors causing people to fall asleep in meetings, the actual meeting environment is rated as highly as the content and structure.
“Our Hilton Meetings Centre is an evolution of the hotel’s world-class meetings and events facilities, offering new ‘Healthy Meeting’ solutions and total natural light for the 180,000 plus delegates we look after each year.
“Our sales team has been trained by the Attitude Doctor, to ensure that we create a more action-orientated, team-building atmosphere that will improve efficiencies and workplace relationships,” added Mr Auvity.
Dr Tom Mulholland, the ‘Attitude Doctor’, is a medical doctor and full-time mentor with the Healthy Thinking Institute, teaching executives how individual accountability towards attitudinal processes can create more effective organisations. Visit: www.healthythinking.biz for details on the Healthy Thinking Institute.
 What was once a Sydney backwater is now one of the most sought-after addresses in the Sydney metropolitan region thanks to its proximity to the city, stunning beach and bays, attractions, recreational opportunities, restaurants, and quality accommodation and meetings facilities.
In the past five years Manly has really come into its own, now playing host to an abundance of events like the Manly Jazz Festival, the Manly Arts Festival, arts and crafts markets, food and wine festivals, and plenty of beach-based events, particularly through the summer months. One of the best properties for meetings and special events is the boutique Sebel Manly Beach located at the secluded southern end of the beach. It offers 83 recently-refurbished guest rooms ranging from luxury studio suites to one and two-bedroom hotel suites.
The Sebel Manly Beach offers a choice of six flexible and naturally-lit conference and meeting rooms which can cater for up to 180 guests. The prime beachfront location makes The Sebel Manly Beach a unique venue for conferences and cocktail parties, and an ideal environment for team-building and incentive-style meetings.
With excellent pre- and post-meeting activities for delegates and partners, the venue has the added bonus of two meeting areas with direct access to the poolside terrace, and a private beachfront balcony, perfect for elegant cocktail events or as breakout areas.
Residential and day delegate packages are available, and the property’s dedicated functions team is on hand throughout the duration of an event to ensure the smooth running and success of any meeting or event program.
Getting out of town doesn’t have to mean costly expenses like air travel, taxis and airport parking fees. Just 90 minutes’ from Sydney, the Blue Mountains is a destination in its own right that continues to impress meeting planners and delegates with its natural attractions, quality accommodation, and huge variety of team-building options. Now described as a “World Heritage region”, Sydney’s Blue Mountains is that and much more. It is ideally located just far enough out of town that slipping back to the office (if you work in Sydney) isn’t easy, and yet isn’t far enough that a day or half day is spent wasted in travel time. The Blue Mountains has been described as one of Australia’s natural wonders. Stretching for more than one million hectares it is an inspiring mix of pristine wilderness, quality resorts, quaint villages, and friendly people. It offers a variety of accommodation ranging from small, executive-style retreats to large venues that can cater for groups in their hundreds.
Its compact nature is such that combining team-building activities such as golf, bushwalking, caving, horse riding and much more, can easily be slotted into even the busiest conference program.
One Blue Mountains success story in the team-building and touring sector is River Deep Mountain High, which provides a range of experiences including abseiling, bushwalking, canyoning, rock climbing, photographic safaris, four-wheel-drive experiences and camping tours. As well as offering fun experiences in the great outdoors River Deep Mountain High offers corporate training, team-building, conference ice-breakers, adventure learning, leadership development, experiential learning, problem solving programs, team challenges, and staff rewards – all developed and run by experienced facilitators.
The company also specialises in delivering programs in keeping with conference themes. Visit www.rdmh.com.au for further details.
Another strong performer in this sector is Katoomba-based Peak Achievements Corporate Training and Adventures. Peak Achievements believes that an organisation’s main resource is its people, and they therefore focus on utilising this resource in a team environment.
Operating since 1990 Peak Achievements specialises in solutions tailored individually to clients’ needs, and they offer programs dealing with leadership, communication, integration of new staff, and general team-building philosophies.
Peak Achievements can also arrange more social experiences including abseiling, canyoning, mountain biking, mountaineering or bushwalking. Courses range from half-day to five-day programs with flexible timing to fit into conference schedules.
The company uses only qualified and trained facilitators, some of whom are accredited with the Australian Institute of Training and Development and hold a Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training. Visit www.peakachievements.com.au for further details.
Finding a place to stay in the Blue Mountains is quite simple because there are relatively few venues. Blue Mountains Tourism Limited offers a free one-stop-shop for conference needs, providing assistance with venue selection, pre- and post-touring plans, and information on special events, dining, and much more. Visit www.visitbluemountains.com.au for further details. If you plan to do research on your own then can we suggest you take a look at the Grand Mercure Hotel Hydro Majestic.
 The property has 84 accommodation rooms and recreational facilities including tennis, an outdoor heated pool, gym equipment, mountain bikes, billiards, and is near to a number of golf courses.
The Grand Mercure Hydro Majestic Hotel offers a variety of conference rooms – seven in total. The main conference room, The Megalong Room, offers breathtaking views of the Megalong Valley and Kanimba Ranges through floor to ceiling panoramic windows. This room?can seat up to 350 delegates theatre-style and is divisible by three.
Another option is the Casino Lounge, which comfortably seats up to 80 people theatre-style. The magnificent Grand Dining Room complete with the famous half-barrel ceiling and elegant 24 carot gold leaf finish, creates a setting of old-world charm, and can seat up to 180 delegates theatre style. A private room located next to?The Grand Dining Room, The Hartley Room features natural light and is ideal for small board meetings and private dinners of up to 26 people. The Hydro Lounge Bar offers a large and cosy cocktail lounge, with a separate cigar room, pool table and access to the outdoor BBQ area. Visit www.hydromajestic.com.au for further details.
Another Blue Mountains institution is the Peppers Fairmont Resort. Peppers Fairmont Resort is located near the picturesque village of Leura and overlooks the Jamison Valley. It is one of regional New South Wales’ largest and most popular conference venues – with facilities for up to 800 people. With a highly experienced event company based on site, and a vast range of meeting room options, the resort is ideal for professional events including corporate conferences, executive board
meetings, seminars and incentives.
Set among a sea of greenery and water, the resort is flanked by the beautiful Jamison Valley, elegant gardens, pristine lakes and the historic Leura Golf Course.
The 210 rooms take maximum advantage of the dramatic Blue Mountains scenery with views towards the bush and gardens beyond. For those looking for a touch of indulgence, a spa treatment room offers a pampering array of massages, facials and beauty treatments to satisfy the body, mind and soul.
And when it comes to wining and dining, Peppers Fairmont delivers on every level. For further details visit www.peppers.com.au/Fairmont.
Wollongong and cities further south, now play host to many conference groups from Sydney, due not only to the region’s ease of access but also its affordability, attractions, and accommodation options.
One of the best examples of comfortable affordability with an historic edge is the Grand Mercure Kiama Blue – a distinctive blend of restored heritage-listed building and a stylish new hotel.
Nestled on the beach overlooking the pristine waters of Kiama Harbour and the famous blowhole, this building housed the Kiama Infants School for more than 100 years following construction in 1871.
Built in five stages and completed in 1893, the seven heritage-listed classrooms have been beautifully restored into three large function spaces. According to general manager, Felicity Thwaites, past pupils of the school have visited the site, passing on valuable insights into the uses of the buildings to staff.
From the gentleman who planted the majestic oak tree over 50 years ago that now shades guests, to stories about the students being accidentally locked in the old toilet block, that now houses the function bar, stories passed on are testament to the incredible history of the building. During the restoration, the builders discovered a magnificent cathedral ceiling under a false one, and this has been completely restored to its former glory. The outdoor surrounding space has been paved and landscaped to provide a perfect spot for cocktail parties and outdoor BBQs under the grandeur of the former classrooms.
The restored function rooms have had state-of-the-art audio-visual facilities installed, all managed by remote control to ensure the rooms meet the highest expectations.
And to compliment the heritage buildings, Grand Mercure Kiama Blue has a range of deluxe hotel rooms including apartments, superior rooms and some exquisite penthouse suites. There’s also a variety of food and beverage outlets including the Blue Diamond Brasserie & Cocktail Bar. Featuring modern Australian cuisine, the brasserie is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The cocktail bar, with spectacular views of the harbour and parkland, specialises in sensational cocktails.
The hotel also houses the Nirand Thai Restaurant and Sugarbag Café to provide guests with plenty of dining options.
Parking is complimentary and underground with plenty of space for in-house guests and day delegates.
Located only 90 minutes from the Sydney CBD, Grand Mercure Kiama Blue is a perfect and quirky alternative for a corporate retreat. What better way to refocus a team than to take them back to school!
Should they wish to extend their event with some team-building in the area, then there’s the nearby famous blowhole, the Jamberoo Action Park with great waterslides and toboggan runs, championship golf courses, the Minnamurra Rainforest Nature Walk, game fishing charters, and award-winning local wineries. Visit www.grandmercure.com.au for further details.
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