Business Events calls for $10 million boost

The travel industry in Australia has wasted no time in using the country’s federal election campaign to seek extra funding.

The Business Events Council of Australia (BECA) has put its hand up for $10 million to fund marketing activities.

BECA chairman Geoff Donaghy said $10 million annually was not a big ask at a time of tight fiscal budgeting because lack of investment and increasing global competition had seen Australia’s ranking as a business events destination slip from fourth to 16th in less than a decade.

“We are struggling to compete with our Asian neighbours for important conferences, fairs and exhibitions that generate globally US$175 billion a year in straight dollar terms and much more in knowledge exchange, network building and ideas generation,” Donaghy said.

He said a review of the Australian business had identified the need for a strong collaborative approach by industry and government to reverse the slide.

“This election is all about moving forward, but we are in an industry that if you are standing still you are going backwards, and we need to turn that around.

“Australia is being outspent, out marketed and out performed, and we can only address that if Canberra is able to match and support industry and state government spending.”

The Review of Australian Business Events video can be viewed on the BECA website at www.businesseventscouncil.org.au.

BECA’s Federal Election 2010 paper is also available for download from the website.