Business Events Sydney (BESydney), a MICE (Meeting, Incentive Travel, Convention, Exhibition) promoter in Sydney, a major hub in Australia, has announced a new program to support MICE in the city from April 2023 to March 2024, with grants of $50AUD per person as a measure to attract more MICE events from Japan.
The “BESydney Asia Grant” will be awarded to groups of 100 to 400 people planning to hold a corporate meeting, incentive travel, or conference in Sydney for a period of at least four days and three nights from April 2023 to March 2024, offering a grant of $50AUD per person (for groups of 401 or more, the amount will be determined based on the size of the group after individual consultation). Applications opened on February 8, and are being reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Lyn Lewis-Smith, CEO of BESydney, stated, “Not only is the number of direct flights from Japan to Sydney recovering, it is even surpassing pre-pandemic levels. By supporting our valued clients, meeting organizers and planners, we hope to re-energize the incentive travel and corporate market from Japan to Sydney, allowing people to experience the vibrancy and energy of the city and actively introduce new products and attractions, including event venues.”
Australia has seen the birth of various new event-related facilities and programs in recent years, including at the Sydney Opera House, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2023. In addition, South by Southwest (SXSW), a festival that originated in Austin, Texas in the United States, will be held for the first time in Australia in October of this year, and has been attracting much attention.