Avril Harris, director of event delivery at Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC), reflects on the evolution of event planner expectations, explaining how the venue combines operational capability, background technology, and destination connectivity to transition from space provider to collaborative event partner
With over two decades of experience across major events and destination marketing, you have watched planner expectations evolve significantly. What are event planners asking for today that they weren’t asking for five years ago, and how is GCCEC adapting to meet those demands?
Five years ago, the conversation was often centred on the venue itself: the space, the capacity and the logistics. Those things are still essential, but the brief has become much broader.
Today, event owners want a partner who understands what they are trying to achieve. They are asking how an event will engage their audience, how the experience can feel distinctive and how the venue can make the entire process easier to navigate. That shift from venue provider to event partner is important. For me, that starts with listening to what our clients need and then working across the business to find the best way to deliver it.
Technology is now integral to every stage of event delivery – from venue tech infrastructure to delegate engagement apps. How are you looking to leverage technology alongside operational management to create frictionless event experiences?
I am definitely not the person in the room who is going to tell you exactly which technology is right for every event, and I am quite comfortable with that.
My role is to make sure we have the right people around the table at the right time. Technology is not about making an event feel more technical. It’s about what the technology enables, whether that is creating stronger audience engagement, giving planners greater creative flexibility or helping our teams deliver an event more efficiently. The best technology often sits quietly in the background.
Prior to joining GCCEC, you served as executive director of events at Experience Gold Coast, driving major event strategy across the city. How does your deep understanding of the region’s visitor economy and destination appeal shape how you approach event delivery at the venue?
One of the biggest lessons from working across the Gold Coast’s visitor economy is that an event begins well before delegates walk through the venue doors, and it continues after they leave. It means thinking beyond what happens inside the venue and considering how every event connects with the broader delegate experience.
GCCEC is a critical piece of event infrastructure, and we are also part of a much bigger ecosystem. Delegates stay in our hotels, dine in our restaurants, explore our beaches and leave with an impression of the entire city. That understanding shapes how we work with planners and our destination partners. It is about helping event owners make the most of the Gold Coast, connect their event with the city and create an experience that feels authentic to the destination.
GCCEC hosts a diverse array of events, from large-scale international conventions to intimate corporate gatherings. Operationally, what is the secret to scaling operations without losing the tailored, memorable touch that delegates remember long after leaving?
The secret is creating consistency behind the scenes while never losing sight of the people in front of you. Large events require careful planning, clear processes and consistent delivery. But systems and technology can only take you so far. The experience ultimately comes down to our people, and that is where GCCEC truly shines.
The best events are often remembered because of the small things: a warm welcome, someone noticing what a client needs before they ask or a team member going that extra step to solve a problem. Scaling successfully is about finding the right balance between consistency and personalisation. We need strong systems and best practice to deliver at scale, but never at the expense of the human connection that makes an event feel personal.
As you settle into this role and look towards the future, what does successful event delivery look like for GCCEC over the next few years, and what message do you have for planners considering the Gold Coast for their upcoming events?
Successful event delivery is about more than an event running to schedule. It is about whether the event achieved what it set out to do, whether delegates had a meaningful experience and whether the client would choose to work with us again. That begins with trusted relationships.
We want clients to feel comfortable having open and honest conversations with us, knowing that we understand their objectives and are genuinely invested in their success.
Over the next few years, the focus is to build on GCCEC’s strong reputation while remaining connected, responsive and thoughtful in the way we work with our clients and partners. For planners considering the Gold Coast, you get serious business events capability in a destination people genuinely want to experience. You also get a team that cares about what you’re trying to achieve and will work alongside you to help make it happen.
