The encouraging advice was part of a series of meaningful tips on how to bid for and win international meetings, presented recently at Reachout 2006 by Association of Paediatric Dentistry Congress Chairman Associate Professor Richard Widmer.

Organised by the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre and the Sydney Convention and Visitors Bureau (SCVB), Reachout, now in its 16th year, is held annually and provides advice and support to associations and organisations planning to bid for international meetings. Wearing his trademark mismatched shoes and colourful conference-logo tie, Associate Professor Widmer also urged participants to be creative in their bid to woo delegates to their events. He said his team’s song and dance routine – featuring lifesavers’ caps and zinc cream – at the close of the Association’s New Orleans congress was a major factor in influencing delegates to come to Sydney.
“Potential delegates will think ‘if the organisers can be this relaxed, then Sydney is bound to be a great conference destination!’”
Associate Professor Widmer’s words of encouragement were based on his own positive experience, with delegate numbers at the 20th Congress of the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry reaching 1100 – well above expectations. Attendees at Reachout also learnt first-hand that a successful conference can have a major impact at international level, with presentations from Bryan Holliday from professional conference organiser, ICMS Australasia, and Dr Geoffrey Gourlay chairman of the 11th World Congress on Pain held in August 2005.

ABOVE: Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre chief executive Ton van Amerongen with Reachout 2006 guest speakers, Association of Paediatric Dentistry Congress Chairman, Associate Professor Richard Widmer, SCVB director of sales Lyn Lewis-Smith and World Congress on Pain Chairman Dr Geoffrey Gourlay.

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