Conference organisers across the globe are increasingly eyeing Asia-Pacific as a key destination for events, as the region continues to develop at a rapid pace.
Speaking at The Asia Pacific Meetings Industry Journey in the Global Arena session on November 13, 2023, Dee Dee Quah, director of Medical Conference Partners, said in the last decade, the region has grown economically, with huge investment pumped into infrastructure. Currently, 300 convention centres are under construction regionwide.
Gareth Martin, CEO, Business Events Perth, added: “It’s the fastest growth opportunity for civic chapters and membership in international associations. This provides a wonderful opportunity for business events in the region.”
Robin Mack, executive general manager of commercial and business events Australia at Tourism Australia, said it is essential that destinations have the tools associations seek, such as accommodation, top-class business facilities, and service delivery.
However, more is needed to stand out. In 2018, Tourism Australia launched the Bid Fund Program to deliver conversion of business for Australia in situations where the destination bids against international competitors. Since then, Australia has won 118 bids, adding AS$873 million (US$556.8 million) to the visitor economy.
Quah recommended that international associations looking to hold a conference in Asia-Pacific engage with local associations or their local chapter, as well as local organisers to help make the process “a lot less painful”, especially as timeframes shorten.
“The times are getting shorter and shorter, so we need to start planning earlier. Then, when you start throwing in things like sustainability, we really need to get ahead of the ball,” she said.
Shibo Jiang, conference secretary of the International Joint Conferences on AI Organisation, said another key element when searching for a destination is the political landscape.
“We plan years in advance and we don’t know what a country will be like in five years, so we always prefer to choose a stable country,” he explained.
