The Australian city of Melbourne will be hosting 2,000 international eye health professionals in two years time, as the city has won a bid for the World Congress of Optometry 2021 (WCO 2021).
To be held in September 2021, the three-day congress will bring the world’s best professionals in optometry to Australia and provide local optometrists exposure to global knowledge, experience and approaches to practice.
The event will also see leading manufacturers and equipment suppliers from all over the world converge at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre to share in the latest technological and patient care advances.
The bid, secured by the Melbourne Convention Bureau in partnership with Optometry Victoria South Australia and the Optical Distributors and Manufacturers Association with support from the Victorian State Government and Tourism Australia’s Business Events Bid Fund Program, is anticipated to generate almost A$12 million (US$8.1 million) in economic impact for the state of Victoria.
Federal tourism minister Simon Birmingham said this was a major win for Melbourne and reinforced the city’s standing as a business events destination of choice.
“Business events are extremely valuable to our economy, with the average business events visitor spending at least twice as much as a leisure visitor,” Birmingham said.
