Business events are delivering more money and more visitors to Victoria, Australia, with the Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) reporting that it netted more than A$500 million (US$343 million) in business events secured for the state in FY18/19 (July 1, 2018 to May 30, 2019).
This has cemented the business events sector as the highest yielding sector in Victoria’s visitor economy.
In addition to monetary contribution, around 6,000 jobs are expected to be created for the state based on the events secured.
Significant wins include the 2023 Rotary International Conference which is expected to attract 20,000 Rotary members from over 200 countries and regions worldwide and injecting over A$110 million into the Victorian economy.
Other notable conferences include The International Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses, November 2019; International Congress of Genetics, July 2023; 20th International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology World Congress of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, 2026; and the World Congress of Philosophy, July 2023.
“Business events are the cornerstone of our visitor economy, and the highest yielding sector of our tourism industry… Business events keep our hotels full, our venues buzzing and our economy strong. No one does business events quite like Victoria, and MCB’s outstanding efforts are to be commended,” said Martin Pakula, the state’s minster for tourism, sport and major events, in a statement.
