Home NEWS Innovation and communication accelerating attendee confidence at ICC Sydney

Innovation and communication accelerating attendee confidence at ICC Sydney

Sep 8, 2022

Strong leadership, a culture of innovation and a focus on sustainability at ICC Sydney have contributed to increased event attendance and economic returns to the community during the 2022 financial year, with the venue projecting a sooner than expected return to FY 2019 figures.

International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney), managed by ASM Global, has reported that its event visitor attendance and visitor spending in the community have doubled since the previous financial year following the release of its 2021/22 Annual Performance Review.

Australia’s premier convention, exhibition and entertainment venue welcomed over 470,000 visitors which delivered A$190 million in visitor expenditure across 300 events — up from 200,000 visitors and an economic contribution of A$80 million in FY 2020/2021.

Geoff Donaghy

ICC Sydney CEO

ICC Sydney CEO and ASM Global (APAC) Group Director of Convention Centres, Geoff Donaghy said the efforts of the team over the first eight months of the year were rewarded in the final four months of the year when operating restrictions were eased in Sydney.

“Our ability to stay open, keep our core team engaged with clients and stakeholders while fostering a culture that enables our people to deliver new solutions to fluid challenges has delivered this outstanding result,” Mr Donaghy said.

Donaghy added, “ICC Sydney has continued its focus on making a difference in our community and we released our second Reconciliation Action Plan, renewed our Legacy Program guide for event organisers wanting to create positive social impacts or lighten their environmental footprint through their events with us and built on our ‘employer of choice position through an active diversity and inclusion program across the workforce.”

“Pent up demand meant domestic business levels returned at pace and in volume. Add to this the return of international events and we are now forecasting a return to FY 2019 figures in FY 2025 – a year earlier than previously projected,” Mr Donaghy said.

geoff_donaghy — Photo Credit: ASM Global

“Pent up demand meant domestic business levels returned at pace and in volume.”

Over the year, ICC Sydney held 300 events – 261 or 87% of those events were held in person, which included 31 events that were a hybrid of in-person and online. The venue delivered the majority of in-person events and welcomed most of the 470,000 plus people that attended them, between March to June 2022. Condensed largely into four months, the number of in-person events was up significantly from the previous year when only 56% of events were held in person.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said ICC Sydney was already contributing to a revitalised city centre while playing a role in attracting business and talent back to Australia’s leading global city.

“ICC Sydney’s global reputation for innovation is central to its success. The venue bounced back as soon as operating conditions allowed and are set to return to contributing around A$1-billion a year to Sydney and regional communities across New South Wales,” Mr Perrottet said. “Thousands of visitors attending events at ICC Sydney each week are filling up hotels, restaurants and retail outlets, as well as tourism opportunities. It’s great to see the CBD come alive again.”

The earlier-than-expected return of international events and the changing values shift of clients and attendees towards sustainable venues and communities have also played a role in keeping strong levels of business flowing to ICC Sydney.

Despite the operating conditions throughout the financial year, and in alignment with the ASM Global Acts worldwide sustainability and equity program, ICC Sydney’s new services and steadfast focus on more sustainable outcomes, particularly the potential to leave a positive social impact when events returned, have led to concrete results for the venue and city alike.

While the venue team was not immune to the broader labour and supply challenges faced globally, it has maintained both clients and delegate satisfaction ratings with a 99% client satisfaction rating and a 99% delegate satisfaction rating for the year.

The new financial year will see iconic events hosted at ICC Sydney including international events MDRT Global Conference in August, the Congress of the International Academy of Pathology in October, Sydney World Pride’s Human Rights Conference in March and the International Congress of Actuaries in May.

To find out more about ICC Sydney visit www.iccsydney.com.