Destinations International, a global community of over 5,000 professionals from 600 destinations around the world, has signed an MoU with the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux (AACB).
The MoU is the first stage in a long-term collaboration, which will enable the two organisations to share knowledge, connections and research.
Together, Destinations International and AACB will join forces with Tourism Economics to develop and deliver an Australian version of the Event Impact Calculator (EIC). The tool allows destinations to analyse the economic value of an event or convention and quantify the return on investment.
The EIC evaluates events over three modules – business events, and sports and cultural festivals – and is currently used by over 300 destinations worldwide. The Australian Event Impact Calculator will provide AACB’s members with a tool for benchmarking and performance, and deliver critical data needed to understand and further showcase the value that events bring to a destination when connecting with external partners, funders, and other key decision makers.
Andrew Hiebl, CEO of AACB, said: “While many of Australia’s convention bureaux are world leading from a bidding and research perspective, the globally recognised Event Impact Calculator will provide our members with a nationally consistent model, allowing for best practise analysis and benchmarking – a priority for the AACB.”
