Business Events Sydney reveals a strong pipeline of business comprising 85 global and national events that will generate an estimated AUD483 million in direct expenditure.
Despite a third financial year impacted by the pandemic, the optimism at the Annual General Meeting of Business Events Sydney (BESydney) was contagious for the industry in attendance. Chair of the BESydney Board, The Hon Bruce Baird AM and BESydney CEO, Lyn Lewis-Smith celebrated a positive year of achievement and a strong return of business events to Sydney and delivered a future vision that incorporates key learnings from the pandemic.
BESydney also released its Financial Report for the Financial Year 2021-2022, showing that the company secured 31 meetings, attracting 47,000 delegates that will generate an estimated AUD132 million (USD89 million) in direct expenditure to the New South Wales economy.
Speaking at the company’s Annual General Meeting, Mr Baird said the past financial year had allowed the organisation to reflect on its work and strategically consider the future it wants for Sydney, Australia and global communities.
“In the final quarter of 2021-2022, BESydney saw a return of global business events to Sydney, heralding an exciting new era. Throughout the last financial year, BESydney continued its bidding activities, retained secured business impacted by the pandemic, and administered two industry support programs on behalf of the NSW Government. Cumulatively this work secured 192 meetings which we expect will attract 95,600 delegates, staying 258,000 delegate days, and generate an estimated AUD159 million in direct expenditure for the state,” Mr Baird added.
BESydney CEO Lyn Lewis-Smith said, “In FY 2021-2022 our rally call was daring to rise, to build back best. For all its challenges, the pandemic moved us to reconsider what we do and how we do it. That spurred us to embrace change and reimagine the role of business events as we rebuild, to showcase our industries, innovation, and visitor experiences to the world. We know that business events contribute to the economic strategy and attract talent and capital that empower cities to lead globally. That gave BESydney a clear purpose in the last financial year and the direction to build back best in FY 2022-2023. The forward pipeline of events is strong with future business to 2029 comprising 85 global and national events that will generate an estimated AUD483 million in direct expenditure and attract 111,000 delegates to our city”.
Over the reporting year, the organisation successfully oversaw Sydney Business Event Fund programs – Kickstart and Accelerate – in conjunction with Destination NSW as part of the NSW Government’s COVID-19 response and Economic Recovery Strategy.
“We are so proud of what we have achieved in what was a disrupted financial year. BESydney launched an international brand campaign, hosted in-market activities, resumed in-person international and domestic briefings, delivered four research programs, attended in-person global trade shows and participated and shared insights at national and international forums across Asia, Europe, North America, and the Pacific. Strategic Partners and Members remained at the forefront as we stepped in to support them via fee relief and additional marketing profiling to keep them top of mind in key markets,” added Ms Lewis-Smith.
For more details, go to BESydney’s Year in Review and its Annual Financial Report here.
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