The Sydney Convention and Visitors Bureau has announced a record annual result, securing almost $373 million worth of conferences and other events for New South Wales in 2005/06.

The result eclipses the previous annual record of $291 million set in 2002/03 and means more than 250,000 extra delegates will visit Sydney between now and 2014.

Announcing the results, SCVB Managing Director Jon Hutchison said the bureau had won bids for 42 business events during the past 12 months, up from 35 the previous year.

“Sydney remains Australia’s leading city for business events and one of the world’s most desirable locations for conferences,” Mr Hutchison said. 

“This record result highlights not only Sydney’s continuing appeal at an international level, but also its ability to compete in an increasingly tough world market.”

Mr Hutchison said the SCVB had achieved a success rate of 72 per cent in bidding for events during 2005/06.

“This is one of our best strike rates and a highly enviable achievement by international standards.”

He said the SCVB’s results included the securing of one of the world’s largest conventions, the Rotary International Convention, which will be held in Sydney in 2014. The event will bring 22,000 delegates to the city and is worth an estimated $63.8 million to the local economy.

Other major wins during 2005/06 include the 2011 World Congress for Psychotherapy (4000 delegates, worth $18.2 million), the 2009 Meeting of the International Bone and Mineral Society (2000 delegates, $9.6 million), the 2008 International Conference on Electronic Materials (1500 delegates, $6.9 million) and an unannounced event in 2007 (2500 delegates, $6.8 million).

Mr Hutchison said the 42 events won during 2005/06 continued to reflect Sydney’s traditional strength in attracting events from the science and medical fields, but also showed important wins in other areas of business, sport, engineering and fashion.

“We have won events like the Young Presidents Organization 2008 Global Leadership Conference, which will bring 1200 of the world’s top young business minds to Sydney,” Mr Hutchison said.

“And we’ve secured conventions like the 2010 World Conference on Women in Sport, the 2010 Civil Engineering Conference, and the 2007 Fashion Group International conference – all of which complement some of Sydney’s most important economic sectors and provide untold business opportunities for the future.”