Host city Sydney designed an itinerary that highlighted Sydney’s harbour for the recent Business Events Australia Asia Mega Famil Showcase as Business Events Sydney (BESydney) and its industry partners provided a first-hand update for 50 influential planners and media from Asia.
Delegates from Greater China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore toured Sydney for three days kicking off with a special Aussie welcome at Taronga Zoo’s spectacular Gili Rooftop followed by a sneak preview of the Zoo’s new Nura Diya Australia precinct which weaves in Cammeraygal Country storytelling with indigenous animal encounters and a surprise-filled official Welcome dinner at the Harbourfront Seafood Restaurant. The Jackson, Sydney’s newest luxury yacht venue, continued the harbour theme with a gala dinner on the water the following day after business networking sessions. The Art Gallery of NSW showed off its recently opened North Building wing venues and Royal Randwick Racecourse did the same for the new flexible entertainment and hosting spaces at the WINX Stand, while the Handa Opera’s Madama Butterfly on the harbour concluded the Sydney experience in grand style.
The 12-person Indian delegation was also treated to a regional tour exploring Port Stephens and the Hunter Valley, experiencing the diverse culinary and nature offerings, from dolphins, koalas and stunning sand dunes to wine, cheese, chocolate and gin tasting. The return to Sydney saw the group tapping into their sporty side at the hallowed turf of the Sydney Cricket Ground, the site of many legendary clashes between our two countries with a private tour and meet and greet with Australian one-day cricket legend, Michael Bevan, and then upping the adrenalin with a Harley Davidson ride to Bondi.
International Planner from China Cyts M.I.C.E. Service Co., Ms Katherine Tam, said, “Sydney is fully open and more active than before. It’s great to see the potential of a booming business and incentive event market in Sydney. There are new attractions providing new facilities and services and Sydney provides unique seafoods and wines. It [Sydney] has always held a special place in our heart because of its liveliness”.
International Planner from India, Akbar Holidays, Sajin Nawshad, Director, said, “I would recommend the countryside of NSW if we had our guests coming into Sydney for a trip extension. It was pristine and the experiences are outstanding, the hospitality was just brilliant. We will definitely add our experiences to our [client’s] itineraries and promote with corporate and FITs.
