[Source: SportAccord] “Queensland is my home and I am proud of everything we do in the world of sport and all the other industries it touches.” This sentiment was shared by Natalie Cook OLY, five-time Olympian, Gold and Bronze Medallist for Beach Volleyball, Australia; and is a sentiment echoed by many Queenslanders and those who come to live there, when they talk about the vibrant Gold Coast, its spectacular surroundings and all that Queensland has to offer.

From miles of golden sandy beaches, to the Great Barrier Reef and waters teeming with marine life; to national parks and rainforests, the Outback, World Heritage sites, culinary delights and so much more; delegates will be spoilt for choice when they gather for the Gold Coast edition of SportAccord in Queensland, Australia (5-10 May 2019).

“So inspired by what we heard and saw, it didn’t take much persuading when the Host City team suggested bringing some of Queensland right into the heart of SportAccord.” said Carl Langdon, Exhibition Manager for SportAccord.

With this in mind, organisations who register for SportAccord will get a taste of what Queensland has to offer, with four stunning feature zones to be staged in the Exhibition Hall.

Right now, Queenslanders are celebrating the ‘Year of Outback Tourism’ and this theme will be adopted for the Recharging Zone. With its vibrant ochre-coloured sands, a well-known feature of the Outback, delegates will have the opportunity to network and hold meetings with their peers.

When it comes to relaxation, the Zen Zone represented by a Reef and sponsored by Edmonton Events, is likely to be a popular spot for delegates to kick-back, relax and soak up the atmosphere with peers.

Knowing what it takes to stage major cultural and sporting events, Doug McLean, Director of Edmonton Events and a SportAccord Silver Partner, said: “We are thrilled to be supporting SportAccord again through our partnership. As Canada’s top city at number 23 in Sportcal’s 2018 Global Sports Cities Index, we value the expertise we’ve gained and the connections we’ve developed, through attending SportAccord over the years. We are looking forward to yet another successful event in Gold Coast, Australia.”

This year’s Media Zone will become a lush Rainforest, where international sports federations and organisations can work with media to get their stories heard.

Gracenote Sports, a regular exhibitor at SportAccord commented: "SportAccord has given Gracenote Sports great opportunities to engage with our clients, partners and industry suppliers. We serve many international federations, media organizations and event organisers, so meeting them all in one place is very effective." said Guido Bouw, Managing Director.

“With an exciting cast of exhibitors raring to go, delegates will be in for a real treat as they go about their daily business at SportAccord. You can understand why Queensland’s moto is - beautiful one day, perfect the next.” enthused Malcolm Hardman, Business Development Manager, SportAccord.

Always a crowd-pleaser, this year’s SportAccord Café will bring Gold Coast’s beach scene into the thematic mix. Delegates will be able to enjoy refreshing drinks and eats at the ‘Beach Café’, or take a well-earned rest along the boardwalk. As Paul Yeomans, a CityAccord speaker and Managing Director for PMY Group fondly said: “See you on the Goldy!”

Speakers’ Corner, now a SportAccord regular will also be located in the Exhibition Hall. Organisations can take centre-stage and launch a product or service, share breaking news, or raise awareness around a cause close to their heart. Contact alexey.mikhailov@sportaccord.sport (+41 (0)21 612 30 79) to sign-up or for further details.

As part of Speakers’ Corner, ‘Sports Tech Start-up Showcase’ will be a new competition feature at the Gold Coast edition of SportAccord. This will be delivered by the Queensland Government in partnership with Austrade and the Australian Sports Technology Network. The competition will give 9 Australian start-ups the opportunity to pitch their product or service in the following categories: (1) Sports data and performance (2) Digital, media and business (3) Wearable and equipment.

The winner will be awarded a 90-day placement with Austrade Landing Pad of their choice (Berlin, Shanghai, Singapore, Tel Aviv, San Francisco) valued at $25,000, helping the startup or scaleup to take their business global.

In just over a month (5-10 May 2019), SportAccord will welcome around 1,500 plus attendees to Gold Coast in Queensland. To take advantage of this opportunity and become an Exhibitor or Partner, or take part in Speakers’ Corner, contact sales@sportaccord.com or phone +41 21 612 3070.