Event organisers targeting national conferences now have a new financial incentive to consider Western Sydney, with up to $50,000 in funding available under a newly launched meetings attraction program.
The Western Sydney Meetings Fund (WSMF) – National, introduced by Business Events Sydney with support from the NSW Government, is designed to attract large-scale conferences and corporate events into the region. The initiative provides a subvention of $50 per in-person delegate, capped at $50,000 per event, creating a competitive lever for organisers weighing up destination options.
Announcing the program, Steve Kamper, NSW Minister for Jobs and Tourism, said the funding aligns with broader efforts to strengthen Western Sydney’s appeal as a business events destination. “Western Sydney’s tourism and business events infrastructure continues to grow.”
Kamper added that ongoing investment in venues, accommodation and transport—including the forthcoming Western Sydney International Airport—will further enhance the region’s ability to host major events.
Amanda Lampe, Chief Executive Officer of Business Events Sydney, said the fund is intended to ensure the economic benefits of conferences are distributed more broadly across Greater Sydney.“We want the economic benefits of meetings to be shared across Greater Sydney.”
Lampe said Western Sydney’s rapid growth presents a significant opportunity to expand the city’s overall business events pipeline, particularly for national association conferences and large corporate meetings.
The program is structured as a bid-stage incentive, meaning funding is only available to events that have not yet confirmed their host destination. To qualify, organisers must meet several core criteria, including a minimum of 300 in-person delegates, a duration of at least two days, and a strong proportion of interstate or international attendees. Events must be held within Western Sydney local government areas and take place within the 2027–2028 window.
Applications are being managed by Business Events Sydney via an Expression of Interest (EOI) process, with submissions assessed on economic impact potential, ability to attract out-of-region delegates, and alignment with Western Sydney’s growing infrastructure and event strategy.