Brisbane is reaping the benefits of its sharpened focus on the incentives market, recording significant gains from Asia alongside recent infrastructure developments that align with its tourism ambitions.
The city saw a 180 per cent increase in incentive wins in FY24 compared to the previous year, with Greater China leading market interest. Event value also surged by 113 per cent, with incentives accounting for 23 per cent of all bid wins.
The momentum shows no signs of slowing, with incentives already representing 16 per cent of overall bid wins this year, pointing to a sustained upward trajectory.
“Brisbane has always been strong in attracting the associations market, but our focus has evolved,” said Lorelle Chittick, general manager of tourism, business and major events at Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA).
“We’ve been hearing more about incentives from clients, and we can trace the catalyst for that back to our hosting of Tourism Australia’s 2017 Dreamtime event (now Australia Next). That was the first real opportunity to bring key buyers into our destination.”
Since then, Brisbane’s hotel landscape has expanded with the introduction of luxury brands such as W, Westin, and Rosewood, alongside the Queen’s Wharf project, which has helped position the city as an attractive destination for high-value incentive groups from Asia.
The city welcomed some of its largest international incentive groups last year, including NuSkin China and Cathay Life Insurance, which brought 1,500 and 2,000 delegates, respectively.
Greater China remains Brisbane’s top source market, with the incentive lead pipeline tripling in FY25 from FY24 following investment in dedicated in-market resources. South-east Asia is also a growing focus, with rising interest from Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.
To support this growth, BEDA launched the Incentive Trade Ready Program in November 2024 in collaboration with incentive specialists Clockwise Consulting Australia, mentoring 12 local tourism businesses to tailor their offerings for the sector.
The first participants included Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Eat Street Northshore, and the Museum of Brisbane.
“This initiative underpins our commitment to the incentive market, identifying potential gaps in our destination and elevating hero precincts,” Chittick told TTGmice on the sidelines of AIME25.
Brisbane’s air connectivity has also expanded. Since the pandemic, Singapore Airlines now operates four daily flights, while Cathay Pacific and VietJet have also increased capacity.
“We are the closest capital city to Asia on the Eastern Seaboard,” Chittick noted, emphasising Brisbane’s geographical advantage.
