Shine On: MCB Celebrates 60 Years of Business Events for Melbourne and Victoria

February 10, 2026

Melbourne Convention Bureau is proud to celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2026, marking six decades of innovation, growth and commitment to delivering business events in Melbourne. Since its founding in 1966, MCB has gone from strength to strength in a city that has flourished to become a globally recognised business events destination. At AIME 2026, MCB brings together its partners to commemorate this significant milestone and recognise its diamond jubilee, reflecting on how the organisation has been shaped by the past and how it continues to shine into the future.  

Additionally, 2026 marks thirty years of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC). Together, these organisations have played a defining role in shaping our state’s reputation as a global leader in events, placing Melbourne on the world stage and driving economic growth. 

Shaped by the past 

The Melbourne Convention Bureau was established in 1966, with a mission to promote Melbourne as a business event destination and drive economic and social impact for the city and the state. From the outset, MCB experienced success in creating connections between Victorian businesses and the global market; by 1974, Melbourne was awarded top destination in Australia for international conventions and conferences. 

MCB has greatly benefited from the strategic vision of its leaders which allowed the organisation to continuously innovate and expand. In 1983, Melbourne Meeting Mart was established to promote Melbourne and Victoria as a leading destination for business events – an event that would eventually become the foundation for AIME. 

By the early 1990s, Melbourne was being recognised on the global stage, named in the top 20 cities globally for international conventions in 1991. Major international association events attracted large numbers of delegates and had significant economic impact, including 23,000 delegates for Australia’s International Engineering Exhibition and 20,000 delegates for the 1993 Rotary International meeting. 

In 1996, the Melbourne Exhibition Centre opened, allowing the city to attract more large-scale conferences and conventions than ever before. The Exhibition Centre would be joined by the new Melbourne Convention Centre in 2009, to become the internationally acclaimed Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. 

The 21st century has seen significant increases in MCB’s success and global reach, as Melbourne continues to grow as an international city with a strong reputation for delivering world-class events. In the past twenty-five years, MCB has secured over 4,000 business events for the state, contributing to almost $7 billion in economic contribution and bringing 1.6 million delegates to Melbourne and Victoria. 

MCB has continued to expand its presence in international markets across the years, opening an office in the United Kingdom in 1997, in the United States in 1999 and Hong Kong in 2007. 

In 2000, MCB became a founding member of the BestCities Global Alliance, beginning a global network of premier meeting destinations. Melbourne hosted major events including the World Diabetes Congress with 10,000 delegates, the largest medical conference ever held in Australia at the time, and the International AIDS Conference, with 13,000 delegates from 173 countries, leading to lasting impacts for HIV/AIDS.  

In 2016, MCB became a subsidiary of the newly-formed Visit Victoria, bringing together tourism, major events and business events for a united approach to driving demand for Melbourne and Victoria. This collaboration has been instrumental in the continued success of MCB, and by 2018 the organisation hit a new milestone, generating over half a billion dollars in economic contribution for the state of Victoria in a 12 month period.  

In the last five years, MCB has seen AIME celebrate its 30th year, supported the events industry with post-pandemic recovery programs, been instrumental in the formation of ABEA (Australian Business Events Association) and welcomed the Amway China 30th Leadership Seminar, the largest incentive program in Australia’s history.  

“Over the past decade, Melbourne Convention Bureau has achieved remarkable growth and impact,” said MCB Chief Executive Julia Swanson. “We’ve secured world-class events, strengthened Melbourne’s reputation as a leading global destination for business events, and delivered significant economic and knowledge legacies for Victoria. These achievements reflect the dedication of our team, the support of our partners, and the vibrant innovation that defines Melbourne.” 

Shining into the future 

In 2025, Melbourne was widely celebrated as a global leader in hosting large-scale business events. The annual Country & City Rankings by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) ranked Melbourne as first in Australia for number of delegates attending international association business events, with a total number of 49,233 event participants, more than twice the number of any other Australian city. Additionally, Melbourne was the top ranked destination in Oceania and fifth in the world for average number of delegates attending international business events. 

MCB’s efforts in championing sustainability were also showcased, with Melbourne achieving the number one ranking in Australia and in the Asia Pacific in the prestigious Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) Index rankings for 2025. The city also earned first position in the Metropolis and Mega Cities category, and rose to 11th place worldwide.  

Looking forward, MCB’s future shines bright. Over 100 events have been confirmed through to 2030, attracting over 93,000 delegates and more than 246,000 room nights for Melbourne and Victoria, with an economic contribution of $520 million.   

The organisation’s focus remains on building a strong pipeline of business events that leave a legacy, both in terms of economic impact and the positive contributions to the city, state, and knowledge sectors. 

Thirty years of strong partnership 

Over three decades, MCEC has hosted more than 20,000 events – from international summits and global conferences to community celebrations, cultural events and immersive art experiences.  MCEC is a major driver of economic activity and thought leadership, having played host to major events like the groundbreaking World AIDS Conference in 2014 and the world’s first Malaria World Congress in 2018.    

Last financial year, the venue welcomed over 800,000 delegates and generated $686 million in economic impact to the Victorian economy, with 96 per cent of its supply chain sources from within Victoria, helping to support local producers and businesses.   

Together, MCB and MCEC have been a driving force for economic and cultural impact, demonstrating innovation, growth and a firm commitment to delivering world-class events in Melbourne and Victoria.     

Quotes attributable to Melbourne Convention Bureau Chief Executive Julia Swanson  

“Over the past decade, Melbourne Convention Bureau has achieved remarkable growth and impact. We’ve secured world-class events, strengthened Melbourne’s reputation as a leading global destination for business events, and delivered significant economic and knowledge legacies for Victoria. Thank you to our partners, clients and the wider industry for their ongoing support of Team Melbourne – your contribution has been instrumental in MCB’s success.”    

Quotes attributable to Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and Nyaal Banyul Chief Executive Natalie O’Brien AM  

“Over the past 30 years this venue has welcomed some of the world’s most preeminent forward thinkers, while at the same time showcasing Melbourne’s incredible culture. MCEC is woven into the fabric of Victoria and has evolved to become a core part of Melbourne’s identity.” 

- ENDS - 
 
Media enquiries: 
Emma Hall, Melbourne Convention Bureau 
T +61 429 553 183 E [email protected] 
 
For images and additional resources, access the AIME 2026 media kit here.