As the Chinese incentive segment for Australia continues to swell, the country has enhanced its event personalisation offerings to sustain interest and encourage frequent returns.
For example, Tourism Australia has intensified working relationships with city governments and other partners, such as public transport agencies, to create programmes that include a ‘city takeover’ concept.
This concept enables incentive or conference groups of up to several thousands to enjoy free facilities and services within a city, such as street banners, free Wi-Fi and free tram rides with the flash of an event badge. Groups have also enjoyed a ‘market takeover’ where a city market is closed for a private corporate gathering.
Such initiatives have helped Australia shorten the rotational cycle of incentive trips. Groups that used to choose Australia as a destination every four to five years now return every other year.
Andrew Hogg, regional general manager, Tourism Australia, told TTGmice: “We work very closely with all of our partners, so that when the business is confirmed, what we’ve put forward is actually real. We’ve had groups of up to 10,000 at one time, and still make it very personalised. We also want groups that are smaller, as we can do more unique events, such as in a vineyard lunch.”
Burgeoning international business events arrivals in Australia have also sparked a host of developments for various cities.
Hogg explained: “Many new hotels are being built in Adelaide to accommodate not only the rising (leisure) traveller, but also to capitalise on what we’ve been doing with the MICE market.”
China’s tier-two cities, such as Kunming, Nanjing and Hangzhou, have also opened up to Australia and are strong opportunities for large incentives and conferences thanks to a growing roster of direct flights, said Hogg.
Australia currently registers some 120,000 MICE arrivals from China, posting an increase of 33 per cent year-on-year as of September 2018.
