SXSW Sydney Ends After Three-Year Run

The withdrawal of public funding brings the festival's planned five-year run to an early close

View in browser Unsubscribe Saturday January 17, 2026 Weekend Edition News   Andrea Doyle Executive Editor SXSW / Toby Zerna SXSW Sydney Ends After Three-Year Run SXSW Sydney will not return this year following the withdrawal of public funding. This brings the festival's planned five-year run to an early close. Destinations   Miguel Neves Editor-in-Chief PHLCVB / J Ryan Philadelphia Uses PCMA Convening Leaders as Launchpad for $1 Billion Year The immediate economic return of hosting PCMA's flagship event is secondary to its potential long-term benefits: enhancing the city's reputation and generating a long-term pipeline of citywide convention business.   Webinar       Wednesday, January 21 @ 11 AM (ET) The Skift Meetings Megatrends 2026 report identified the transformative forces shaping our industry in the year ahead. Now, it's time to move beyond the page. In this exclusive Backstage Briefing webinar, we aren't just identifying trends; we are exploring why they matter, how they will play out in real-time, and the specific impact they will have on your bottom line. Register Now Events Skift Meetings Forum 2026 Skift Meetings' flagship event will bring together leaders in New York on September 22 for a deep-dive on how the business of events is reinventing itself. This game-changing gathering gives event professionals the tools they need to thrive in a rapidly shifting business and geopolitical landscape. Register Now   Trends Report       Skift Meetings Megatrends 2026 The Skift Meetings Megatrends 2026 report goes beyond surface-level trends. It equips you with the critical intelligence you need to turn today's disruption into tomorrow's advantage. Sponsored by Choose Chicago, Louisville Tourism and Visit Austin. Download now Popular Content Contracts & Duty of Care 6 Things Planners Need to Know About Gifting and Taxes Recipients are required to pay taxes on incentive merchandise, trips, and even gift cards — not just on cash bonuses. - Barbara Scofidio   Trends & Insights Poor Attendee Retention is Driving Up Event Costs With attendee retention stalled in the low 30% range, event organizers must replace nearly 70% of their audience each year. Improving retention may be one of the most effective ways to offset rising event costs. - Andrea Doyle   Event Management 8 Ways to Protect Attendees From the "Super Flu" This flu season is shattering records, but there are still steps you can take to keep your meeting from contributing to the spread. - Barbara Scofidio   Diversity & Inclusion SocialOffset Founder: Planners Are Questioning Whether They Should Hold Meetings at All SocialOffset was developed as an alternative to boycotting events in politically charged destinations. But its founder says some associations are now questioning whether to forgo their events altogether. - Barbara Scofidio   Destinations Indy Secures Luxury Upgrade with First-Ever Ritz-Carlton Indianapolis is getting its first Ritz-Carlton, adding a luxury option to the city's convention hotel options, part of a $3 billion investment in new tourism-related projects. - Andrea Doyle Defining the future of events. Skift. 35 W 31st St., New York, NY, 10001, USA Follow Us: LinkedIn   |  X   |  Facebook   |  Instagram   |  YouTube You received this because you are subscribed to Newsletter | Skift Meetings Stand-Up from Skift. For Gmail users: If you are using the tabbed inbox, Skift emails may be pushed to the 'Promotions' tab. To get updates from Skift direct to your primary inbox, drag and drop this email to that tab.