Melbourne’s popularity on the rise with the Indian market

October 27, 2022

India was the fastest growing inbound market for Victoria pre-Covid. This was predominantly leisure travel, however Melbourne has been steadily seeing increased business event interest out of India and now presents the largest source of leads out of the Asia-Pacific market.

This growth has been supported by Melbourne Convention Bureau’s (MCB) increasing engagement activity in the Indian market and 11 new weekly direct air services with Air India and Qantas to Melbourne.

The future pipeline of Indian Incentive Groups is strong with MCB currently managing $50 million worth of incentive bids out of India with decisions expected this financial year.

Over the last few months MCB has also hosted three new Indian incentive groups hailing from finance and insurances sectors.

MCB is seeing smaller groups travelling more frequently - the three recent groups brought 1,077 delegates to the city and staying on average four days with a big focus on team building activities and more sustainability focused activities.

Across these incentive groups, delegates visited an array of attractions in Melbourne and regional Victoria. The exciting line-up included some of Victoria’s most popular regions, the Yarra Valley, Phillip Island Nature Park for the infamous Penguin Parade as well as a trip to Ballarat to enjoy historical Sovereign Hill.

In addition, another three groups of business event planners representing the Indian market have also undertaken exciting familiarisation programs across the city. A key highlight to come will be attending the blockbuster International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday 13 November.

MCB's integration into Visit Victoria gives it an edge over our local and international competitors in accessing these major events and generating opportunities for incentive groups that are new and immersive.

The MCG is Australia’s most iconic and celebrated sporting venue for Indians and a key driver of visitation for this market, making this experience a distinctive highlight which positioned Melbourne as a city that can host ‘only in Melbourne’ experiences valued by this market.

Steeped in a rich history, the MCG was established in 1853, less than 20 years after the founding of Melbourne, it’s been the home of Australian football since 1859 and was the birthplace of Test cricket in 1877 and one-day international cricket in 1971.

For a unique corporate experience, event planners should consider embarking on a private tour of the MCG, led by a dedicated Melbourne Cricket Club guide who will bring the stories and secrets of the ground to life. Taking you behind the scenes from the exclusive members areas and hallowed turf – to the hidden terraces offering unbeatable views of the city skyline and Australian Open precinct, groups can discover the otherwise off-limits areas of the ‘G.

MCG Events can cater to conferences, meetings, and corporate functions of various sizes overlooking the MCG arena, central business district or Yarra Park.

Melbourne is the ideal city to host incentive groups and MCB excels in crafting bespoke itineraries designed to suit every group. Start planning your meeting or corporate reward program now and discover the unique Melbourne offerings available to reward and excite your team.  Find out how MCB can support you or search for suppliers.