Amway Taiwan adds to Sydney bonanza

The latest arrivals will have generated more than $3.7 million for the local economy as a result of their three-day Amway Taiwan 2005 Leadership Seminar, held from March 12-14. Their visit comes on the heels of the mammoth Amway Asia incentive held in January, in which 13,250 delegates arrived in eight waves from Hong Kong, Taiwan and China. A further Amway visit will come in December when the Amway Japan Diamond Forum is expected to bring another 400 delegates. Sydney Convention and Visitors Bureau managing director Jon Hutchison said the Amway groups had helped make 2005 a record year for incentive business. "By the end of 2005 we will have hosted 17,500 incentive delegates who will have generated about $118 million for the NSW economy," Hutchison said. "Incentives are now Sydney's fastest growing source of business tourism and Asia, in particular, is driving much of that growth," he said. "The current interest in Sydney confirms our belief that we have a very attractive city in terms of its conference facilities, its standing as a business centre and its prestige as a destination," Hutchison said. "The delegates at the Amway Taiwan Leadership Seminar, for example, are top achievers who for the past year have focused all their efforts on winning the opportunity to come here." The Amway Taiwan group has taken part in business sessions at the Opera House, a city tour, a harbour cruise and a visit to the Australian Reptile Park near Gosford. Other upcoming incentives secured by the SCVB include 2,000 delegates from Cathay Life Insurance from Taiwan this month. The incentives make up just one part of the NSW business events sector, worth an estimated A$7 billion annually according to the recent National Business Events Study.