IN A STRONG message that Australia’s Business Events Industry is making a return to pre-pandemic levels, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre announced it has secured 77 new conventions during 2021, worth an estimated A$144 million in direct expenditure to the Queensland state economy.
The events will deliver an anticipated 50,000 delegates to Brisbane generating 245,000 room nights to the city’s hotels with flow-on benefits to local businesses across the hospitality and tourism sectors – showing that business events will be a key driver of recovery going forward.
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (BCEC) is the major driver of business events to Brisbane and Queensland, responsible for more than 70 per cent of delegate stays and visits, venue officials say.
These global and national meetings are expected to attract talent and expertise across a range of the state’s key sector industries, including technology, transport, population, healthcare, science and research.
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The value of securing these events for Brisbane also highlights Brisbane and Queensland’s research and technology strengths.
The world’s leading experts in Population Research will be among those heading to Brisbane to attend the International Population Conference in 2025, the first time in the event’s 93-year history that it has been held in Australia.
Among the newly confirmed conferences are several large-scale events including three events set to deliver 2,000 delegates to Brisbane, one forecasting more than 8,000 and one with 5,000 delegates all heading for Queensland and Brisbane over the next three years.
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BCEC’s long-term partnerships and collaboration with Brisbane’s science and research communities through its Convention Advocates Partnership is an influencing factor in attracting high calibre scientific meetings to Brisbane.
Bob O’Keeffe, BCEC’s general manager, said the reopening of borders and resumption of international flights, as well as a strong demand for face-to-face meetings, was helping drive growth, with the centre forecasting more than 800 events through to the end of 2022.
“It is proven that business events have wide and enduring benefits associated with knowledge transfer and international collaboration, and everyone wants to regain that,” he said.
O’Keeffe believes that interest in Australia will be amplified as the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games approaches.
“Brisbane’s infrastructure development has already begun, and with the boost of further investment as part of the official Olympic Infrastructure program, Brisbane and the Centre’s appeal as a business events destination is expected to skyrocket.”
