Upcoming Sydney international events indicate strong in-person attendance

The Australian based PCO, ICMS Australasia reports seeing strong in-person delegate registrations for two of its upcoming international meetings. The two ICMS Australasia-managed conferences, the 20th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ICSMGE 2022), 1-5 May, and the 21st International Meeting on Lithium Batteries (IMLB 2022), 26 June–1 July, have seen in-person delegate registrations of 60% and 75% respectively. While both conferences are being run as hybrid events, ICMS Australasia managing director, Emma Bowyer, said the exceptional uptake for in-person attendance, particularly from international delegates, is a welcome sign that a return to in-person events is occurring faster than expected. “We’re just over a month out from the 20th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering and we have over 1,000 registrations and close to 600 of those are in-person delegates. Over half of those are from outside Australia, with the largest delegations at this stage coming from South Korea and the US. “The 21^st International Meeting on Lithium Batteries in June is showing a 75% in-person attendance level, with 650 delegates attending at this stage. Only 17% of in-person attendees are currently from Australia. The rest are from over 60 countries, with the largest three country representatives coming from South Korea, Japan and Germany,” added Bowyer. Independent bidding services Business Events Sydney (BESydney), worked with the Australian Geomechanics Society and the CSIRO to win these events. Lyn Lewis-Smith, CEO of BESydney, said: “Our research has demonstrated the significant impact hosting these prestigious global events on home soil can have for the acceleration and growth of Australian industry, exposing local experts to world’s best practice, building global connections, attracting investment, fast-tracking research collaborations and showcasing Sydney opportunities to entice global talent here.” Both events will be held at the International Convention Centre Sydney. Geoff Donaghy, CEO of ICC Sydney, commented: “The team is delighted to be welcoming global leaders in the fields of soil mechanics, geotechnical engineering and lithium battery technology alongside our local talent. ICC Sydney’s team of experts has evolved our in-person services, our technology and deepened the support for broadcast events to offer ever better experiences for event organisers and attendees.”