Conference organizers, event planners, delegates and travelers from around the world are set to be taken on an immersive journey through Australia’s premier convention, exhibition and entertainment venue, as International Convention Centre Sydney becomes the first venue of its kind in Australia to launch a virtual reality video experience.
Developed to assist with converting business, clients, partners and visitors will be able to undertake an interactive tour of the stunning new A$1.5 billion venue by simply downloading the ICC Sydney VR App from Apple or Android application stores. Viewers will experience the full scale and magnitude of ICC Sydney’s technologically advanced facilities, including its 35,000 sq.m. of exhibition space, flexible meeting spaces, the 2,000-capacity grand ballroom – the largest of its kind in Australia – and world class theatres.
Geoff Donaghy, CEO of ICC Sydney, said that the move into VR marks another moment of innovation for the venue, which previously used a raft of creative tools to market itself to the world during its three-year construction phase. “The new VR experience helps clients get to know the venue and will help us reach our target of running 1,000 events annually by our third year of operation. We are already rapidly reaching this target, and will hit 1,000 bookings for the venue this month. The application is backed by new online assets which highlight ICC Sydney as one of the most attractive events destinations in the world, and a venue that is helping to power the local visitor and knowledge economies.”
A feature of the ICC Sydney App and VR content is the showcase video it developed in partnership with Tourism Australia. Its release today follows closely behind Tourism Australia research findings that show VR is influencing consumers’ travel decisions.
John O’Sullivan, Managing Director of Tourism Australia, said that the emerging technology provides exciting new ways to preview destinations and encourage visitation. “Virtual Reality is becoming an influential touchpoint for consumers, giving them an immersive sense of what the destination has to offer in the critical consideration and booking phase of their travel plans. For a world class facility like ICC Sydney, harnessing the power of VR to push itself into the consideration set is a great example of the venue’s innovative approach to creating event success.”
Donaghy added that ICC Sydney has a unique offer that may just have to be seen to be believed. “Our VR experience brings ICC Sydney to life right before people’s eyes and will become a point of reference during the planning stages of an event, while also engaging and exciting delegates pre-event. It’s an impressive tool that we believe will help shape the future of events in Sydney.”
For a full VR experience, viewers will require a VR headset. Switch to the 360 degree view in the App to use on any mobile device. For those using desktop computers, 360 degree images can be viewed on the ICC Sydney website.
ICC Sydney Wins Australian HR Team of the Year & Best Recruitment Campaign
In other news, ICC Sydney has been recognized for its extraordinary culture and outstanding work in recruiting and on-boarding almost 1,800 team members in time for its December 2016 opening, with the new venue taking out two major awards at the prestigious Australian HR Awards. ICC Sydney Director of HR Mathew Paine, said the wins across both Australian HR Team of the Year and Best Recruitment Campaign were testament to the inclusive culture that the entire organization lives up to.
“The HR Team proudly accepted these awards on behalf of ICC Sydney, however our success is definitely shared. While we are responsible for supporting and implementing skills development and engagement programs for ICC Sydney, the culture that we enjoy is a result of our entire leadership team and our vision to be an employer of choice.”
The ICC Sydney HR Team was responsible for securing and inducting 300 full time and almost 1,500 casual staff in an extremely tight labor market and is experiencing solid retention rates.Using new technology to streamline the process, the team saved 10,000 hours in productivity and $125,000 in wages to review the 44,000 applications that were driven by a targeted multi-channel advertising and public relations campaign. New starters are supported via an internal learning academy titled The Academy of Extraordinary, which includes internal programs and acknowledgement of effort as well as accredited training delivered in partnership with TAFE NSW.
ICC Sydney CEO, Geoff Donaghy, said he couldn’t be prouder of his exceptional team of professionals.“Mathew and his team are active throughout the organization and the broader industry, ensuring our people receive the very best support so that each and every team member is prepared to reach their potential to deliver extraordinary experiences for our clients and have a great time while doing it.”
Along with a strong training and development focus, ICC Sydney has embedded diversity and inclusivity within its operations, believing this is key to creating a workplace where different perspectives support innovation, collaboration and overall productivity. As such, the venue’s diversity strategy is focused on five Diversity & Inclusion streams; Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander, Disability, Parents & Carers, LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) and Generation Success (Youth & Mature Aged workers).
The two award wins represent the latest in a string of accolades showcasing Australia’s premier convention, exhibition and entertainment venue as a beacon of excellence and innovation.
Since opening in December 2016, ICC Sydney has already received numerous accolades for both its unique marketing and venue offering including Australia’s best conference venue at the Qantas Business Travel Awards, and is on track to deliver at least A$5 billion to NSW’s economy over the next 25 years. For more info, visit www.iccsydney.com
