Our services are available to everyone and our advice and support are impartial and completely free of charge.
You can freely access our tools, research, insights, case studies and supplier search for information and inspiration to help you plan your conference in Sydney.
Contact us if you want to bid for and bring a conference to Sydney, and we can help:
- develop bid strategies and documents
- identify funding offers and access financial support and make a business case
- make introductions to our networks across government, industry and academia
- host site inspections with decision-makers
- support your in-person bid presentations and voting strategies, if relevant.
If you have secured a conference for Sydney, we can help you:
- appoint a professional conference organiser (PCO or AMC)
- deliver on financial commitments
- host planning and site visits for organisers, by providing event support
- boost attendance, by providing communications and marketing support
- connect with suppliers, through our extensive network of hotels, venues and experience providers.
Frequently asked questions
No. We provide advice and support to help local leaders and international associations who are organising conferences in Sydney. But we can put you in touch with professional conference organisers (known as AMCs in the USA), if that is what you are after!
We provide a free Supplier Search tool that you can use to identify and connect with suppliers that meet the needs of your conference.
Absolutely not. We are naturally curious and helpful, which means we are happy to help you research potential events and options, answer questions, work through any concerns and provide advice without requiring you to commit to anything. Just because we discuss possibilities, does not mean you need to take any further action.
Our resources are free of charge. However, each conference bid will have its own requirements, which may carry costs. We assess each bid individually in consultation with our team of experts to identify and estimate costs, which may include costs related to producing bid documents, lobbying materials, inbound site inspections, or outbound international activities (like General Assembly attendance, if relevant).
Once a bid is won, we continue to support you. We draw on the expertise of our partners across government, industry and academia to help you achieve your objectives and deliver your event.
Yes! Sydney is well serviced by all major international airlines. The Sydney Airport is located 8km (5 miles) from the Central Business District (CBD), which can be travelled in approximately 25 minutes by taxi, or 13 minutes by train.
Sydney has an efficient, affordable and accessible transport network, which includes private, public and active transport options which connects the city to major venues – like the International Convention Sydney (ICC Sydney) – accommodation, attractions, innovation districts and universities. You can find more information on transport options here
Unless you are a citizen of Australia or New Zealand, you will need a visa to enter the country.
Australia’s Department of Home Affairs runs an International Event Coordinator Network (IECN), a free service for organisers of events hosted in Australia that involve international visitors. It provides guidance on visa options; and application processes for speakers, performers, competitors and attendees. Find more information and register your event with the IECN here
The Australian currency is the dollar (AUD), which comes in notes ($5, $10, $20, $50 and $100) and coins (5, 10, 20 and 50 cents, and $1 and $2). Currency exchange services are available at the airport, in the city centre and at most banks and Australia Post offices.
Major credit cards are widely accepted in Australia, though do note that Diners Club is not often accepted. Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) can be easily found throughout the city and accept most common cards, including UnionPay.
In Australia, a Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 10% is included in the purchase price of almost all consumer goods and services. However, tax-free shopping is available at Sydney International Airport; and the Australian Government provides a Tourist Refund Scheme, which allows international travellers to claim tax refunds for some goods.
Sydney is well known for sunny and warm weather year-round, but as with any destination, it is best to check local forecasts before you travel. In Australia, our seasons are:
- Summer – December to February
- Autumn – March to May
- Winter – June to August
- Spring – September to November.
The local time zone in Sydney is Australian Eastern Standard Time, which is generally UTC+10. Between October and April, we observe daylight savings and operate on Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT), which is generally UTC+11.
English is the official language in Australia. However, Sydney is home to a truly multicultural population and more than 250 languages are spoken here, with more than 1.2 million residents speaking a language other than English (including several who work for BESydney).
There is no shortage of things to do in Sydney, whether you are after food and wine, arts and culture, history, sport or one-off experiences. You can find information on the calendar of events here
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