The Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB) has announced that in excess of AUD $1 billion worth of economic benefit has been generated for the state of Victoria, as a result ofinternational business events secured by MCVB for the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC).
Karen Bolinger, Chief Executive Officer of MCVB, said reaching the AUD $1 billion mark was a major milestone in the organisation’s history.
“A total of 123 business events have been secured for the MCEC, generating an estimated 203,250 delegates, equating to approximately 1,029,900 MCEC delegate days, 778,021 room nights in Melbourne hotels, and a forecasted $567,369,613 in delegate expenditure,” said Ms Bolinger.
Approximately 39 of these events have already been held and the remainder will occur over the next seven years.
“In 2009, the MCEC was officially opened, significantly enhancing Melbourne’s capacity to host major business events and compete with leading business events cities from around the globe.
“The world's first ‘Six Star Green Star’ environmentally-rated convention centre and the largest convention centre in the Southern Hemisphere, the MCEC offers world-class facilities, including a 5500+ seat plenary hall and 30,000 square metres of pillar-less exhibition space.”
Australia has received worldwide recognition for its convention and exhibition facilities and has been successful in attracting millions of delegates over the last two decades.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Overseas Arrivals and Departures figures, Australia welcomed 171,400 convention or conference arrivals during the year ending December 2011. This compares to 4280 for the year ending December 1991, equivalent to a 3904% increase over 20 years.
Ms Bolinger said Melbourne had contributed significantly to this growth and will continue to do so, having secured a number of prestigious international association events including The World Diabetes Congress 2013, the World Congress of Cardiology 2014 and the XX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2014).
“Melbourne competes on the world stage in terms of securing high profile, international events that bring large numbers of new visitors to the region, delivering a significant economic impact to the state,” she said.
Ms Bolinger added that business events play a vital role in strengthening the city’s international profile, with the industry being a core component of the local tourism framework.
“Holding business events in Melbourne creates new and repeat visitors, attracts accompanying persons, drives regional tourism and generates economic wealth and export opportunities.
“Business events also provide ‘beyond tourism’ benefits and long lasting legacies including new business relationships; enhancement of industry sector profiles; innovations in research and technology; changing perceptions of a city, country and industry; and increased market intelligence.
“The benchmark has now been set and MCVB will continue to strive for success, bringing internationally significant conventions and congresses to the convention centre over the years to come and well into the future.”
The Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB) has announced the establishment of a new positioning campaign at this year’s Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME).
Melbourne IQ: The Intelligent Choice for Conferences is aimed at the international associations market and is designed to promote Melbourne’s impressive expertise and track record in a diverse range of academic, scientific and professional endeavours.
Karen Bolinger, Chief Executive Officer of MCVB said the campaign highlights the state’s capabilities as an ‘Intellectual Capital’ and further cements Melbourne’s reputation as a world-class business events destination.
“Whereas we often attribute our success to the first class infrastructure we have in the city and the high level of support we receive from both state and local government, we may overlook that perhaps our greatest assets lie in our intellectual capabilities and industry strengths,” Ms Bolinger said.
“The state’s economy is driven by knowledge-based industries in education, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing and design and the city is also recognised as a centre of excellence for research and development in the medical, science, business and financial industries.
“Having all of this intelligence here, makes Melbourne a natural and attractive choice for international associations who are looking to host their next conference in a city where they can maximise attendance, be close to emerging markets in Asia, and be able to draw delegates from a rich pool of local talent,” Ms Bolinger said.
The first stage of the campaign is the release of a brochure which aims to reach out to MCVB’s key international markets in the form of associations, professional conference organisers (PCO’s), decision makers, board members, chief executive officers and academics, spanning the globe. Ultimately, Melbourne IQ will be a platform for a wide cross section of future marketing initiatives, including events, advertising and targeted publications.
Ms Bolinger said the campaign also acknowledges MCVB’s credentials, as well as its commitment to attracting international conventions to the state.
“MCVB works closely with locally-based associations and the wider academic community, specifically through the Club Melbourne Ambassador Program, when working to attract a business event to Melbourne. Without the ongoing support of these key groups, winning high profileevents, such as the XX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2014), would not be possible.”
In addition to Melbourne’s ‘intelligent’ assets, the city’s superior business events infrastructure, economic stability, excellent accessibility, safety and leisure attractions are also highlighted in the campaign.
“When it comes to conferences, congresses, meetings, incentives and corporate travel, Melbourne has just the right mix of ingredients to ensure that every business event is a resounding success,” said Ms Bolinger.
Melbourne IQ: The Intelligent Choice for Conferencescan be downloaded from the MCVB website at www.mcvb.com.au/MelbourneIQ .