From direct financial support for corporate groups to a landmark SITE 2028 win, Andrea Molnar, Experience Gold Coast’s acting director of business events, outlines the strategy to win global planners over
Experience Gold Coast (EGC) is ramping up international business event bidding across key markets like South-east Asia and Greater China. What specific sectors or corporate tiers are you prioritising, and how is EGC positioning the region beyond its traditional sun, sand, and surf leisure image?
Incentives remain our absolute core strength. We have also recently hired a dedicated researcher who does a lot of work for us in associations, specifically looking at North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific (APAC). In APAC, our focus is connecting incoming delegates directly into local industry sectors that are strong on the Gold Coast, particularly finance and fintech, technology and startups, as well as pharmaceuticals and medical research.
By having a dedicated researcher, we have tripled our pipeline for international associations and potential business. It is about identifying what fits our destination, not just from a convention centre perspective, but how we connect them to the industries our government wants to see come through.
This alignment makes it much easier to apply for co-funding from Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) or Business Events Australia (BEA), as governments evaluate funding based on long-term investment rather than just a single conference.
Unlike capital cities where business events can get lost in the noise, the Gold Coast offers a distinct alternative by pairing key industry alignment with a world-class bleisure destination. Rather than trying to be everything to everyone, we focus on identifying what we do best and supporting those key industries.
Environmental stewardship is top of mind for international planners, but greenwashing is a real concern. How is EGC embedding genuine, practical sustainability into event operations?
As a destination, we need to lead the way. It is something EGC is heavily focused on as we work on our sustainability framework. But rather than just talking about it, we focus on practical changes on the ground.
For instance, if you look at our own familiarisation trips, we do not build traditional, resource-heavy booths anymore. We moved to a single-panel design per exhibitor, which cuts down massive amounts of waste.
We also explicitly ask our trade partners not to give out generic promotional gifts, as delegates often end up leaving them behind in hotel rooms. Instead, gifts or touchpoints need to be meaningful, connection-driven, and tangible.
Furthermore, we have streamlined delegate transfers so fewer vehicles are used, such as deploying single coaches to serve multiple pickups rather than running half-empty fleets. Sustainability has to be leading by example, making events simpler, cleaner, and more impactful for the attendee.
The recent increase of the Subclass 600 visitor visa fee (from A$200 (US$141) to A$250) creates an added financial hurdle for some South-east Asian incentive groups – where a A$50 jump per person quickly multiplies across large corporate delegations. How is EGC helping buyers with this?
We work closely with TEQ and Tourism Australia to educate agents representing our destination on what needs to be done so they can direct buyers to the right places to get visas easily.
More directly, EGC established the International Incentive Subvention Fund. We identified a gap because most state and federal subventions only look at large groups. As a regional city, we saw a gap for smaller to mid-sized incentive groups, specifically between 70 and 250 pax.
Under this fund, we provide direct financial support to offset operational costs for eligible groups. While it does not pay for everything, offering a per-person contribution sends a very positive message that we are willing to help and invest in their movement.
You spearheaded the winning bid for the SITE Global Conference 2028, marking the first time this event is coming to Australia and the APAC region. Congratulations! How is EGC mobilising local suppliers, luxury hotels, and venue partners over the next year or so?
Securing SITE 2028 is a landmark win, but because Australia and the broader APAC region represent uncharted territory for the conference, Tourism Australia and EGC are navigating a brand-new, complex, and incredibly exciting process together. To ensure our local industry is fully aligned, we have established a dedicated steering committee made up of key regional stakeholders.
While the official attendance baseline is set at around 500 delegates, my personal goal is to push well beyond that and aim for 700 pax. We felt immense momentum and enthusiasm from the SITE community when Australia was brought into the room at IMEX Frankfurt, so the demand is clearly there.
A core component of SITE’s strategy leading up to 2028 is using this gathering to expand its regional membership across Australia, New Zealand, and Asia-Pacific. Over the next 18 months, we are committing local industry partners to participate actively in SITE ANZ and global events.
Ultimately, this is not just about four days of programming; it is about what happens after the delegates leave. We are laying the groundwork for a lasting legacy that firmly establishes the Gold Coast as a top-of-mind choice for global incentive buyers.
Incentive travel planners are increasingly looking for unique, immersive cultural and eco-experiences. What products are central to your pitch to APAC corporate buyers?
Over the last two to three months, we have seen an uptick in incentive leads from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and India with larger numbers. When pitching to them, they want something different – they want immersive experiences and culture.
For example, planners can take groups to the Hinterland for a hot air balloon ride at sunrise, do a beach activity during the day, and finish with a sunset charter on a yacht. We can also seamlessly incorporate First Nations experiences, nature-based tourism, and high-end hotel inventory into their itineraries.
With new hotel inventory coming online and SEQ momentum building toward the 2032 Olympic Games, how is EGC addressing infrastructure like airlift and venue capacity?
While Gold Coast Airport is a regional international hub, using Brisbane Airport is no different than flying into Melbourne, as it is an hour’s drive to the city, and similarly, it is an hour’s drive to the Gold Coast, so we are well connected. Relying on two airports is a major advantage.
We position ourselves based on our strengths, not as a capital city. Our sweet spot for the convention centre is up to 6,000 pax, which fits our hotel capacity. If 6,000 delegates go to Sydney, they disperse. When 6,000 delegates come to the Gold Coast, they take over the entire city. The city is activated, the brand is everywhere, and delegates are welcomed everywhere.
Beyond immediate economic impact, what does success look like to you?
Australia stands very strongly because we are viewed as a safe destination with strong value-for-money. In addition, the Gold Coast recently launched its Destination Management Plan, which is a city-wide roadmap leading up to 2032 created collaboratively with council, EGC, the convention centre, and local industry partners.
For me, success means changing perceptions – shifting the Gold Coast from a secondary or tertiary thought to the second top choice in Australia (behind Sydney and Melbourne) for international planners, while introducing our region to a whole new generation of corporate decision-makers.
