Queensland tourism drive for business delegates
A report in the Courier Mail says that in the face of a big spending assault from Asian rivals, local tourism groups are stepping up the campaign to win more business tourism.
Last year, 787,000 business and conference tourists visited Australia spending an average of $554 a day and the Gold Coast hopes to build on a 36 per cent increase in business delegate days it achieved in 2006, by wooing major conference organisers from America and Europe.
Yesterday a group of corporate executives wound up a five-day tour of the Gold Coast, aimed at convincing them to bring more conferences Down Under, with organiser David Kilman saying five meeting professionals from Canada, US and Switzerland were given an intensive experience of the Gold Coast.
“Each of them has the ability to bring highly profitable meetings, conventions, tradeshows and incentive conferences to the Gold Coast,” Mr Kilman said.
Showing the tourism buyers first hand the facilities was the best way to sell the destination,” according to Gold Coast Tourism chief executive officer Pavan Bhatia. He said it was vital to let key players experience the infrastructure, technical ability, support services and leisure attractions on offer on the coast.
In Brisbane, the Convention and Exhibition Centre has snared three international conferences over the past few months which are expected to bring 2500 extra international visitors to the city.
Its general manager Robert O’Keeffe said despite an increasingly tough market, the centre was still performing very strongly. It has 72 new conferences confirmed in the past 12 months, adding, “We are determined to maintain that competitiveness as we enter an exciting new phase with major expansion plans for the centre”.
Suncorp Stadium is also targeting convention business. It recently saw the Investment and Financial Services Association’s Annual Conference split between the stadium and the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Suncorp Stadium CEO Geoff Donaghy said the stadium, usually known for its sporting contests, was an emerging player in the business events area, adding, “It offers a unique and exciting option to the more conventional functions venues.”
In northern Queensland, a focus on the natural attractions around Cairns helped convince the 5th International Society for Stem Cell Research to hold its annual meeting in Australia.
“Our success relied heavily on the natural attraction of tropical north Queensland and the world-class convention centre,” Australian Stem Cell Centre spokeswoman Michelle Singe said.
“The city of Cairns offered the advantage of keeping delegates entertained during down time,” she said.
Tourism Australia has also been working to boost Australia’s share of the business market, with earlier this year it launched a $2.6 million campaign targeting 800 decision makers in the UK, US and Asia.
Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
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