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Travel, Tourism & Events

International investors and experts land in Brisbane and North Queensland for bioproduct and bioenergy symposium

FIFTEEN international bioproduct and bioenergy investors and experts, along with many Australian industry leaders, will present at The Australasian Bioproducts and Bioenergy Symposium (TABBS) in Brisbane on October 20.

The line-up includes high profile speakers from Africa, Canada, Japan and the US, who will be in Queensland for one week – visiting Gladstone, Rockhampton, Mackay and Townsville.

Hosted by Life Sciences Queensland Ltd (LSQ), the Symposium and week-long regional tour will bring together key local and international industry stakeholders including fuel and energy companies, agricultural companies, investors and funding agencies, transport and airline industry representatives, bioenergy researchers, program directors, and policy advisors. 

“Having this many high caliber international industry stakeholders here at one time – and visiting a number of regional centres, shows that Queensland is now on the global investment opportunities map," LSQ CEO Mario Pennisi said.

TABBS will provide an opportunity for global industry stakeholders to come together, share their experiences and cooperate to uncover this potential, grow their businesses and help create a dynamic, internationally competitive and sustainable life sciences industry.”

Centred on the theme The Bioeconomy - It’s Getting Hotter in the Tropics, the event will seek to engage leaders from the national and international bioenergy and bioproducts industry and research community to explore the various opportunities this area provides for future economic development and jobs in Queensland.

Visitors include representatives from the US Navy, Agrisoma, Aurora Equity, Genomatica, CO2 Institute, BIC and Mercurius Biorefining Inc.

“The challenges faced by economies in tropical regions, require innovative and practical solutions. Working to address them, nations have certainly made progress across a range of areas - including economic, environmental and social - but there is still significant untouched potential to be realised in the tropics,” Mr Pennisi said.

In the lead up to the Brisbane symposium a delegation of the experts will present at Regional Satellite Events in Gladstone (October 17), Rockhampton and Mackay (October 18) and Townsville (October 19), and will be looking to meet with mayors and other community stakeholders.

The TABBS Satellite Events aim to provide regional communities with opportunities to hear international perspectives on the bioeconomy and give those regions the platform to present their local opportunities to the international experts for their consideration.

www.lsq.com.au

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Suits into wetsuits – Byron transitions for business events

BYRON BAY can easily argue its case for being Australia’s favourite leisure destination, but now the region is enticing the business events market.

vast array of activities on offer in Byron ensures that conferencing is not only unforgettable, but delegates return motivated and energised.

“Byron is the perfect place to get conferencing delegates moving and motivated,” Byron Business Events Bureau executive officer Jen Murphy said. 

Ms Murphy said the region was able to help companies to realise the research that proved healthy changes in employees would deliver better business returns.

She said research by the Harvard Business Review shoed that some workplace wellness programs had delivered a return of $2.71 for every dollar spent.

“Conferencing with a wellness aspect supports and encourages employees to be healthy and perform better,” Ms Murphy said.

“Byron’s pristine natural beachside and forest environments provide plenty of activity options for delegates to get outdoors, have fun and participate in team building activities like surfing, hot air ballooning, kayaking, whale watching, circus arts and cooking.

“In Byron the outdoor activities are so good that you might have trouble enticing your delegates back into the conference room,” she joked.

Ms Murphy said Byron’s natural beauty, prolific wellness culture and host of exciting activities “gives companies the greatest potential to invigorate their people, foster teamwork and enhance creative thinking, which in turn boosts business returns”.

Staffed by a team of highly experienced conferencing professionals, the Byron Business Events Bureau was formed to support the growing interest in Byron as a conference and business events destination.

“Byron is Australia's best conference destination,” Ms Murphy said. “That’s because it’s easily accessible, with stunning world class venues and quality suppliers, that give delegates unforgettable experiences in team building and development.”

www.byronbusinesseventsbureau.com.au

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ICC Sydney named Australia’s best infrastructure project

INTERNATIONAL Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) has already changed Australia’s events landscape and now it has also been named Australia’s best infrastructure project at the Infrastructure Partnerships Australia’s National Infrastructure Awards.

The judges recognised ICC Sydney for its design excellence, construction timeline and outstanding financial performance, and additionally for its role in “delivering the nation a new and emblematic piece of business events and tourism infrastructure”.  

ICC Sydney CEO Geoff Donaghy said the venue was already performing extremely well for Sydney, New South Wales and the nation, having delivered almost 200 events and welcomed more than 300,000 people through its doors since opening on December 20, 2016.

“ICC Sydney is a new $1.5 billion events precinct that has been specifically designed to welcome more events and patrons to Sydney while providing the best possible experience for them whilst here,” Mr Donaghy said.

“We’ve already received fantastic client feedback about both the venue and the service delivery of our team. A further endorsement of the venue, and our management, has been the repeat business confirmed by clients that have held successful events with us during our first months of operation.

“AEG Ogden is extremely privileged to be operating the venue and the entire team is very proud of the award bestowed on ICC Sydney’s design and delivery consortium,” he said.

NSW Minister for Infrastructure, Andrew Constance said the venue was already living up to the aspirations the NSW Government had envisioned for it.

“ICC Sydney was delivered on time and on budget and we are happy to see it is already a key performer in the New South Wales infrastructure pipeline,” Mr Constance said.

“It is the epicentre of a 20-hectare transformation of Darling Harbour by the NSW Government to highlight Sydney as the first choice in Australia and the Asia Pacific region for the major events industry.”

A NSW Government project, ICC Sydney was delivered in partnership with Darling Harbour Live, comprising Lendlease, Hostplus, First State Super, Capella Capital, AEG Ogden and Spotless FM.

www.iccsydney.com

 

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Hilton partners International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development

THE World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has welcomed Hilton as an official partner of the 2017 International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, just as the organisation launches its Travel.Enjoy.Respect campaign.

“Our founder Conrad Hilton often spoke of ‘world peace through international trade and travel’ – which remains just as important and core to our business today,” Hilton global head of corporate affairs and senior vice president Katie Fallon said.

“We are pleased to join with the UNWTO and its partners to communicate the benefits of sustainable travel for the communities where we work and live.” 

Ms Fallon said Hilton’s Travel with Purpose strategy identified innovative solutions that leverage its global footprint “to provide positive impact in three key focus areas; creating opportunities for people, strengthening communities, and preserving the environment”.

She said by mobilising its almost 5,000 hotels in 103 countries and territories, Hilton continued to operate in responsible and sustainable ways. 

“The involvement of the private sector is essential in amplifying the impact of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development,” UNWTO Secretary General. Taleb Rifai, said.

“Hilton is a global hospitality leader whose focus on sustainable travel supports our broad goals of tourism that spurs dialogue, fosters mutual understanding, and supports building a culture of peace.” 

Mr Rifai said the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development promoted tourism’s role in five key areas:  inclusive and sustainable economic growth; social inclusiveness, employment and poverty reduction; resource efficiency, environmental protection and climate change; cultural values, diversity and heritage; and mutual understanding, peace and security. 

http://www.tourism4development2017.org/ 

http://www.tourism4development2017.org/partnerships/

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Web designed to catch business events

TOURISM AUSTRALIA has created a new website dedicated to business events.

“Australia is leading the way when it comes to delivering business events that exceed expectations, and our new website was created to ensure we also set a benchmark in providing planners and decision makers with an innovative, informative, visually-stunning and easy-to-use website,” Tourism Australia managing director John O’Sullivan said.

“The feedback from planners and decision makers has told us that being able to access personalised assistance is crucial when planning business events. 

“That’s why we have fully recreated the site to ensure we can continue to meet the needs of planners and decision markers, by providing an exceptional user experience for those considering Australia as the destination for their next business event,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

The website also offers direct access to Tourism Australia business events representatives and Australian business events products and destinations, allowing users to easily make contact with sources of inspiration and information on holding a business event in Australia.

Tourism Australia undertook comprehensive research with international business events planners and decision makers, to ensure the new site delivers relevant up to the minute information on Australia in the most accessible and appealing ways, Mr O’Sullivan said.

www.australia.com/businessevents

 

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New visa for Singaporeans boosts inbound

SINGAPOREANS will have exclusive access to a new long-term, multiple-entry visa option by January 1, 2018, aimed at boosting business and leisure travel to Australia.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the Visitor (Subclass 600) visa would allow travellers to visit Australia for up to three months at a time, over a six-year period, with a single application.

During an official visit to Singapore Mr Turnbull made the visa announcement alongside Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, when he also introduced a new reciprocal Work and Holiday Maker program to start on August 1 this year.

“With up to 500 places per year, the program will allow young people from Australia and Singapore to undertake short term work or study,” Mr Turnbull said..

Last financial year, more than 230,000 visitor visas were granted to travellers from Singapore, up 16 percent compared with 2015.

“These new visa arrangements will further boost tourism and business links between Australia and Singapore,” Mr Turnbull said. “It will make it easier for people to come to Australia to visit friends and family while also enabling business operators to conduct regular meetings or attend conferences in Australia.

“These announcements build on the Australia-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”

www.vfsglobal.com/australia/singapore

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ICC Sydney Wows with first international business event

INTERNATIONAL Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) staged its first international business event in January, catering for more than 8,000 international delegates in the showcase of the venue’s capability.

ICC showed its versatility in meeting the needs of incentive event the Amway China Leadership Seminar 2017, over a 13-day period.

Over 13 days, organisers utilised a range of ICC Sydney’s flexible spaces, including the extraordinary 2,500 capacity Darling Harbour Theatre, as well as the Convention Centre’s five star meeting rooms for breakout sessions. 

ICC Sydney CEO, Geoff Donaghy, said the Amway China Leadership Seminar 2017 was “a huge success for the world class venue” with client feedback praising ICC Sydney’s layout, capabilities and expert counsel.

“It’s showtime at ICC Sydney and Amway China has helped us kick off the year with style and substance,” Mr Donaghy said.

“We have had great feedback from the organisers who were thrilled with our ability to support a range of event types within the overall program. For instance, Darling Harbour Theatre, which is also a performance space, became the perfect setting for large-scale presentations, while our Grand Ballroom – within the Convention Centre itself – provided the ideal location for each 2,000-person banquet.

“We are delivering a paradigm shift in the way that business events are run by providing the ultimate in quality, choice and flexibility for the world’s leaders and thinkers to meet, collaborate and innovate.

“With 500 bookings already secured, it’s clear that our industry leading proposition is making an impact,” Mr Donaghy said.

He said according to post-event surveys, delegates loved the gourmet Chinese sharing banquet provided, which was designed in line with ICC Sydney’s industry-first Feeding Your Performance philosophy. Dishes featured fresh, seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, expertly combined to drive physical and mental performance. Guests were also impressed with the courtesy and efficiency of staff, and their friendly manner, which put first-time visitors at ease.

Associate director of AV and events production for Amway China, Bert Li, said ICC Sydney’s staff and facilities delivered on expectations across the board.

“Every event comes with its own opportunities and complexities,” Mr Li said. “From developing specific bi-lingual signage and providing exclusive routes through the precinct, to creating dishes that mirrored our guests’ tastes, every detail was anticipated and delivered to a five star standard.

“I’m pleased to say that the Amway China Leadership Seminar 2017 was a triumph thanks to a trifecta of best in class facilities, flexible spaces and most importantly, an expert team that was easy to deal with and quickly addressed our every need.”

The event, which saw delegates arrive in four groups, also took advantage of many of Sydney’s key attractions and hotels including Luna Park, Sydney BridgeClimb, Sheraton on the Park, The Star, Sydney Tower Restaurant, Captain Cook Cruises, and Sydney Opera House.

Organisers cited the precinct’s stellar audio visual equipment as essential to delivering ‘next-level’ presentations, and its remarkable 10Gbps optical fibre backbone and precinct-wide connectivity, in supporting a seamless experience.

The event also offered VIP visitors the chance to explore the broader precinct, with The Hunger Games: The Exhibition and Brickman Wonders of the World Exhibition, both concurrently held in the venue’s exhibition halls.

Business Events Sydney CEO, Lyn Lewis-Smith, whose company that secured the event for Sydney, said the precinct underpins Sydney’s reputation as one of the world’s most desirable business meeting destinations.

“As the centrepiece of the AU$3.4 billion, 20-hectare transformation of Darling Harbour, ICC Sydney has generated huge interest from international organisations and played a significant role in Amway China’s decision to return to Sydney for a third time,” Ms Lewis-Smith said.

“In the past decade we have seen 20 percent year-on-year growth from the highly lucrative Asian incentive market. ICC Sydney will drive this further, and deliver major cultural and economic benefits.”

Officially launched in December 2016, ICC Sydney is expected to inject an estimated $5 billion in to the NSW economy over the next 25 years.

www.iccsydney.com

 

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