CLIENT: Business Events Sydney
EVENT: Dreamtime Delegate Hosting
VENUE: Opera Point Marquee

The objective of this event was to welcome a selection of Dreamtime delegates to Sydney and to kick off their familiarization tour of the city.

So how do you communicate a product as diverse as Sydney to a tired, multi lingual audience in less than 2 hours.

The answer is quite simple – tell them a story. Literally take them on a journey of discovery, allowing them to experience in a very practical and entertaining way, all the beauty, riches and excitement that Sydney has to offer incentive and conference groups. They ‘tasted’ the beaches, the bush, the food and the product in a way they had never experienced before.

Guests were transported to a completely unexpected location. The outdoor area of the venue was transformed into a beach scene – complete with sand, deck chairs, life savers serving sumptuous cocktails. For half an hour or so, guests enjoy the ambience of Bondi on the Harbour.

Guests were then invited to enter the marquee. What confronted them was the antitheses of the beach – the bush. The entire space represented regional NSW – elements of the bush, the Blue Mountains and the Hunter Valley. Bush, imagery of the region, grape vines and regional produce line the perimeter of the marquee. In the middle were two long, black clothed tables. The tables were literally heaving with the finest produce that the land has to offer. Guests were seated to a communal meal … and sit back to enjoy the show.

Guests were treated to a live performance that told a story of a stereotypical Sydney taxi driver and a Chinese passenger that was visiting on business. The driver and passenger engage in conversation about the wonders of Sydney and the region.
What followed was literally a journey of discovery as our cabbie shows the PCO the wonders of Sydney. This conversation, conducted in both English and Mandarin, was supported by imagery as the journey progressed.

At certain points along the way, entertainment was incorporated into the show – a magician, and the grand finale – a father and daughter musical duo performing one of the most popular pop songs in Asia in recent years – Shanghai Tang.

And so their guided tour of the region’s MICE attractions concluded …. Almost. Our cabbie had one final surprise up his sleeve. Guests were invited to join him for dessert outside. As they made their way outside, they were served a magnificent array of dessert canapés and dessert wines, set to the strains of a jazz trio.

This was more than a cocktail function, more than an event. It was an unforgettable experience that served to educate, excite and entertain the audience – opening their minds to the vast array of options for MICE groups in Sydney and regional NSW.