Sydney Grabs Gold For Conventions

<B> Sydney Grabs Gold For Conventions</B>

By Judy Jacobs


Sydney now ranks as the world's number-one destination for conventions, a position it hopes to maintain thanks to an expanded convention center and the attention lavished upon it as the site of next year's Olympic Games.

Last year, Sydney was declared the world's top convention city by the Amsterdam-based International Congress and Convention Association, based on the number of delegates who attended international conventions. And that number is expected to continue to grow.

"We have seen steady growth in the number of international meetings, conventions and exhibitions that have come to Sydney over the past five years. For example, we had 25 major international events in 1998; 39 will be held here in 1999; and 29 are scheduled for 2000," said Sandra Chipchase, general manager of marketing for the Sydney Convention & Visitors Bureau.

"We expect strong growth for conventions and incentives, with the trend towards smaller conventions. In the incentive market, we are seeing a move towards weekend-to-weekend incentive programs, rather than the traditional 14-day programs," she added.

The most important development for the meetings and convention industry is the US$37 million (A$57 million) expansion of the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Center at Darling Harbor, expected to be completed in September. The project will add to the center an auditorium and a banquet hall, each accommodating 1,000 delegates. It also will expand the center's exhibition space by more than 32,000 square feet. The additions will complement the existing facilities, which include an auditorium seating up to 3,500 people, a banquet hall for 1,600 attendees and 269,000 square feet of exhibition space.

Other developments at Darling Harbor will make it more attractive to meeting and convention attendees. The new Cockle Bay Wharf at Darling Park includes restaurants, shops and nightclubs; as well as Dockside, an 11,800-sq.-ft. function venue.

Meanwhile, Captain Cook Cruises has launched Sydney 2000, the largest restaurant and sightseeing boat ever built for Australian waters. The 207-ft. boat accommodates up to 650 people onboard. Another major new Sydney activity that began last October is drawing an increasing number of meeting and convention participants is BridgeClimb.

BridgeClimb offers an opportunity to climb Sydney Bridge, an activity that was formerly illegal. Now individuals and groups can indulge their fantasies. The three-hour experience begins with a briefing on the history of the bridge. Participants then don uniforms and climb in groups of 12 people harnessed together and led by a guide.

In addition, Fox Studios in October will open its Australian studio, which will not only produce films but provide meeting and incentive planners with high-tech and Hollywood-style function areas for theme parties.