While the recent war on Iraq and SARS outbreak has seen business travel to Australia decline, Sydney Olympic Park has enjoyed an increase due to strong ties with its local markets.
Over the last six months, Sydney Olympic Park Authority (SOPA) has increased sales leads and conversions as well as the actual number of business events held at the 683-hectare precinct.
In an industry marred by a downturn in overseas visitors, Sydney Olympic Park Authority's campaigns with local markets have paid off. The location of the precinct - in the geographical centre of Sydney, while only being 14kms from the CBD and 19kms from the airport - means it has a huge catchment area from which to generate leads and conversions. Core business for the precinct comes from greater Sydney which has created a lower reliance on international business tourism, hence why the Park has been able to 'weather the storm' of recent times.
Boasting 80 different function spaces within eight major venues, Sydney Olympic Park offers the diversity the local market requires from small meetings for 10, functions for 100, to events for 80,000 people. With 425 hectares of parklands and the facilities of the State Sports Centre and Sydney International Tennis Centre, the Park also offers unique corporate leisure and team building programs.
Telstra Stadium doubled its business tourism activity in the last financial year while the Sydney Showground, known for its strength in the exhibitions market, increased is meetings and conferencing business by 115%. This month Sydney SuperDome hosted over 15,000 delegates a day for the Hillsong Conference while the dual Novotel and Hotel Ibis consistently record the highest occupancy rates for a hotel in greater Sydney.
Brian Newman, Chief Executive Officer of SOPA attributes the growth in business events to the practical, yet strategic, approach of the Authority and in particular the dedicated business events team.
"Our business events team offers a one-stop-shop for corporates looking to host an event in any venue - or location - at Sydney Olympic Park. The local market - greater, or western, Sydney - has been particularly responsive to this, which has meant that despite world affairs, Sydney Olympic Park has been able to grow its business events market share.
"Implementing targeted campaigns on local markets - identified by independent research - has yielded great results for what is a collaborative approach between the Authority and the Sydney Olympic Park Business Association. We are confident that
this range of initiatives will further consolidate Sydney Olympic Park as greater Sydney's primary business events destination," Mr Newman said.
In response to the recent survey conducted by SCVB, Sydney Olympic Park was confident that business would continue to grow despite industry trends and partially because of Rugby World Cup. In the case of the Iraq War and SARS only two events were cancelled, with most venues reporting no impact.
With Rugby World Cup just around the corner, the remainder of the year is also looking positive for corporate events at Sydney Olympic Park as businesses take the opportunity to be part of the atmosphere at the host site for the finals series. With major corporate hospitality programs at the venues and the official Live Site in The Overflow, Sydney Olympic Park will deliver a unique experience for more than 93,000 corporate guests over seven match days.
Non-game days throughout the Rugby World Cup period are also expected to be a popular time for holding business events given the once in a lifetime chance to be part of RWC fever in Australia.
Sydney Olympic Park is enjoying enormous growth in business tourism and with over 210,000 people attending more than 730 business events in the first six months this year, 2003 is on track to deliver record business tourism figures since the Olympics.
Clearly not just a place for the corporate market, Sydney Olympic Park welcomes more than 5.5 million visitors annually, and last year hosted 1759 sporting, leisure and cultural events.
For further information contact:
Jennifer McNamara
Manager, Business Events
02 9714 7237 or 0407 948 629
jennifer.mcnamara@sopa.nsw.gov.au
Issued by:
Shannon Kliendienst
Media Manager
02 9714 7118 of 0414 662 209
shannon.kliendienst@sopa.nsw.gov.au
Sydney Olympic Park Authority
7 Figtree Drive
Sydney Olympic Park NSW 2127
www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au
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