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19 December 2024

Business Events Australia Industry Update

Welcome to the final edition of Business Events Australia’s industry newsletter for 2024. The team at Business Events Australia would like to thank the Australian business events industry for your support, collaboration and partnership during the year. We value the work you do to help showcase why there’s nothing like Australia for business events.  

We wish you a happy and safe festive season and look forward to working with you in 2025.

LATEST NEWS

AUSTRALIA NEXT CASE STUDY

Early results show Tourism Australia’s signature incentive showcase, Australia Next 2024, was a great success with delegates indicating in the post event survey they were 100 per cent satisfied with Australia Next 2024 and 100 per cent more likely to consider Australia for groups. The event held in partnership with Business Events Cairns and Great Barrier Reef, from 8 to 10 September 2024, was a multifaceted event that included nine pre and post familiarisation visits across Australia, highlighting Australia’s unique offering and event capabilities to 79 international planners and 15 media. A case study of the showcase including a highlights video and feedback from attendees, is available on the Business Events Australia website. You can also review the results of Australia Next 2024, including leads generated for Australia here. Save the date for the upcoming event, Australia Next 2025, to be held in Melbourne / Narrm from 1 to 3 December 2025. 

AWARD WINNING WORK

This month, Business Events Australia has received two awards in China. Australia was awarded Best Incentive Travel Destination by Distribution Times on 4 December, a leading direct selling media outlet in market. During the award ceremony, Business Events Australia took the opportunity to host a dinner with 40 corporate key decision makers alongside five of Australia’s convention bureaux and Singapore Airlines.

Business Events Australia also won the award for Excellent MICE Marketing Promotion in the 20th Award Ceremony of the New Economy & Summit on Knowledge Economy on 21 November. Prior to the awards, Business Events Australia hosted a luncheon with 30 CEOs of direct selling companies with four of Australia’s convention bureaux and Singapore Airlines.  The survey results indicate 20 corporates have potential opportunities to visit Australia in the next two years, with group sizes ranging from 100 to 800 pax.  

PCOA CONFERENCE

Earlier this month, Tourism Australia’s Executive General Manager of Commercial and Business Events Australia, Robin Mack, spoke on a panel at the 16th annual Professional Conference Organisers Association (PCOA) conference and exhibition, held in Brisbane / Meanjin. Discussing ‘The Importance of Business Events’, Robin shared his insights on how Business Events Australia works to elevate Australia’s position as a leading business events destination. Tourism Australia’s General Manager Business Events, Commercial & Industry, Kelly Maynard also facilitated a PCOA 2024 Solutions Summit session to brainstorm solutions with industry peers and recorded a session for The Conference Collective Podcast. 

WESTERN MARKET ACTIVITY

Last month, Australia was out in force at the Meeting Newz Business Events Expo in Auckland. Seventeen Australian industry representing convention bureaux, venues and accommodation highlighted Australia’s business events offering during the one-day trade show. Business Events Australia held a customer breakfast to keep Australia front of mind for future incentive events and corporate meetings.

In the first week of December, the Business Events Australia North America team travelled to Chicago for a series of client-facing events across both the association and incentive sectors. The team participated in the Association Forum Holiday Showcase in Chicago, a two-day conference where they met with association leaders and heard the latest insights on the North American association sector. They also met with corporate and incentive clients at the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) Chicago chapter’s Holiday event, and with Business Events Australia’s strategic partner Maritz at their local customer event. 

ASIAN MARKET ACTIVITY

This month, Tourism Australia hosted seven corporate customers, and their agent from MakeMyTrip in India on a famil to Brisbane and the Gold Coast via Singapore Airlines, to showcase why there’s nothing like Australia for business events for their future incentive programs. During their time in Australia, the customers had the opportunity to visit Tangalooma Island Resort and attend day one of the test cricket match at the Gabba, Australia V India. Initial feedback indicates there is potential future business for Australia, with the delegates impressed with what both destinations had to offer.

In December, Business Events Australia held their first Best Partner Program with Lion Travel in Taiwan. More than 60 corporate customers from 30 companies across IT, insurance, direct selling, and manufacturing attended the event, delivered in partnership with four of Australia’s convention bureaux and Singapore Airlines. More than ten potential leads were generated for Australia as a result of holding the event.  

ABEA CONFERENCE

This month, the inaugural Australian Business Events Association (ABEA) Conference was held at the ICC Sydney with the theme ‘Focused on the Future’. Tourism Australia’s Executive General Manager of Commercial and Business Events Australia, Robin Mack spoke at the opening session and presented at the Convention Bureau Pillar Session for bureau management and staff, where he shared future focused insights for business events and the latest on Tourism Australia’s work. After a day of collaboration and inspiration, the Australian business events industry gathered for the ABEA Awards Dinner, where Business Events Australia presented certificates to the graduates of the Leading Well program, a program designed to explore the next wave of future talent. Business Events Australia also sponsored two awards: the ‘Future Leaders Award’ presented to Elle Reinehr and the 'Contribution to Industry Award' which was awarded to Nigel Keen. Congratulations to ABEA and all the winners on the night.

SYDNEY TEAM UPDATE

Emily Elkington, Tourism Australia’s Business Events Partnership Marketing Manager, will be returning from maternity leave in January 2025. As such, we thank Stephanie Nelson for her contribution to the team and wish her well as she finishes with Business Events Australia on 20 December 2024.