Global travel association Skål International has chosen Sydney to host its 2010 World Congress, bringing with it 1000 tourism leaders from around the world.

Skål International chose Sydney after a bid by the organisation’s Sydney Chapter, backed by BESydney (formerly the Sydney Convention and Visitors Bureau).

Its success over a rival bid from Galilee in Israel was recently announced at the 2008 Skål World Congress in Taipei and means an estimated economic benefit of $4 million for Sydney.

“Skål International is a worldwide fraternity of travel professionals, so it’s only fitting that such an important travel organisation should come together in one of the world’s most desirable tourism destinations,” said BESydney CEO, Jon Hutchison.

“We’re delighted to be able to showcase our city before such an important contingent of decision makers from travel companies around the world.”

BESydney first identified the Skål World Congress as an opportunity for Sydney in 2001 and joined a lobbying process that began at the Skål 2005 World Congress in Zagreb, Croatia, and continued through subsequent congresses in Pattaya in Thailand and Antalya in Turkey.

A formal bid was prepared and lodged with the Skål International secretariat in January 2008 before further lobbying and a presentation at this month’s World Congress in Taipei.

Founded by travel managers in Paris 75 years ago, Skål International consists of more than 22,000 members in 500 clubs and more than 90 nations worldwide.

The Skål Club of Sydney was established in 1960 and will celebrate its 50th anniversary at the 2010 World Congress.