Melbourne Convention Bureau Applauds Federal Funding Boost for Business Events

March 15, 2018

The Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) applauds the announcement today by Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Hon Steven Ciobo MP to increase investment in attracting international business events to Australia by $12 million over 3 years.

"This announcement is one of the most important developments for the business events industry in Australia to date," said the AACB's President and MCB CEO, Karen Bolinger.

"The Government's investment through Tourism Australia's Business Events Bid Fund Program will help bring strategic international business events of national significance to Australia. It will help Australia attract more international conventions which boost trade, investment, tourism jobs and help local industries showcase their capability on the world stage.

"Recent figures released by Ernst & Young indicate that the business events industry contributes $30 billion in direct expenditure and over 193,000 direct jobs each year.

"This investment will achieve strong results for Australians."

Ms Bolinger reflected on Australia's largest ever health conference held in Victoria, the 20th International AIDS Conference in 2014 (AIDS 2014) as an example of the impact of Federal support for business events.

"Without funding support from Federal Government MCB would not have been able to secure AIDS 2014, which to date is the largest and most significant health conference ever held in Australia.

"AIDS 2014 bought the best people in the field to Victoria and showcased Victoria's best talent in the sector. This drove new ideas, knowledge and techniques that increased industry productivity towards ending HIV. It also boosted the brand of Melbourne, and Australia as a leader and innovator in the health sector.

"This funding means so much more than generating tourism. The more business events that are secured for the State the greater the opportunity to drive economic prosperity, profile Victoria and Australia as a place to do business and study, showcase sector strengths, provide trade and investment opportunities, showcase policy leadership and bring world leaders to the state for best practice and knowledge exchange.

"This complements the overwhelming support from the Victorian Government who provided an additional $9 million to the State's Business Events Fund over the last two years, supporting MCB to attract lucrative business events.

"Today marks an important step forward for the business events sector."

-ENDS-

About Melbourne Convention Bureau

The Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) is a sales and economic business development organisation that partners with state and local government and strategic industry partners to identify, secure or create large international conferences, corporate meetings and incentive programs for Victoria. This is all new business that helps drive Victoria's visitor and knowledge economy. Business events deliver an economic contribution of $11.2 billion and 95,000 jobs annually.

MCB is the state's sole entity responsible for the procurement of international business events. MCB positions Melbourne nationally and internationally as a business events destination that goes above and beyond for clients and partners, creating lasting social and community impacts through legacies that deliver well beyond the event itself.

MCB is globally connected with international representation in North America, Europe and Asia.

Contact: Leah Hubay, Melbourne Convention Bureau, Communications Manager
T +61 3 9002 2325 / +61 429 553 183
E [email protected]