Business events in Australia have just surpassed pre-Covid levels, with spend reaching A$4.6 billion (US$3.1 billion) in the 12 months to March 2024, and is at 75 per cent recovery in terms of inbound event arrivals.
“We’re really happy with the performance of the business events sector overall, and will continue to focus on it,” Robin Mack, executive general manager of commercial and Business Events Australia, told TTGmice.
Mack said the business events sector is “such an important sector for Tourism Australia and Business Events Australia”, hence Australia Next 2024 has been “supercharged” to stoke buyers’ interest.
Previously known as Dreamtime, the incentive travel showcase is typically held once every two years, with the last edition hosted in Adelaide in 2023. Last year’s event generated 212 business leads across the country, worth A$192 million.
A decision was made to host the event this year as well to maintain the growth momentum.
Australia Next 2024 is taking place this week, with partner Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef.
Australia Next 2024 is attended by 80 international buyers – a third of whom have never been to Australia, as well as 15 media representatives and 96 Australian industry sellers. International attendees will also join pre- and post-show fam trips around the country.
When asked if Australia was offering more subvention support to event groups to cope with the rising cost of travel, Mack said organisers already have plenty of support from the existing Bid Fund Program and subvention programmes led by various state and city bureaus.
He said: “It’s a hugely competitive market, and we have to stay relevant. Our campaign will not change, as it continues to perform really well for us, and people remain engaged.”
Overall, Mack is optimistic about the future of Australia’s business events.
“I think that sometime in the next 12 months we’ll be able to surpass pre-Covid numbers. I’ll be happy to move on and not talk about 2019 stats ever again. We will continue to innovate and showcase what the destination has to offer, and keep Australia top of mind (for business events),” he said.
David Teo oversees the assistance services provided by International SOS Assistance Centres across Asia and heads expert teams of Coordinating Doctors and Nurses in these Assistance Centres.
Kuramathi Maldives has made two new appointments: Bert Goebel as general manager, and Tom Osborne as sustainability manager.
With nearly 30 years of experience in the luxury hotel, resort, and cruise ship industries, Goebel brings a wealth of expertise and perspective to lead Kuramathi’s team. His extensive experience spans several countries and continents, where he has held influential roles at Sandals Resorts at different Caribbean Islands, and Oceania Cruise Lines in the US. Prior to joining Kuramathi Maldives, he was vice president of global hotel operations at Scenic Group in Zurich.
In his new role, Osborne will lead the resort’s sustainability initiatives, spearheading initiatives to reduce staff food waste and minimise single-use plastics through reusable bottles. His responsibilities include ensuring compliance with Travelife standards, collaborating with the engineering team to optimise energy use, and managing significant projects such as a new coral restoration programme on the resort’s house reef and the construction of a new facility for the Maldives Coral Institute.
Before joining Kuramathi Maldives, he worked for organisations in Costa Rica, Saudi Arabia, and Kenya, where he gained valuable insights into marine conservation. His education background in marine biology equips him with the expertise needed to address broader sustainability challenges and drive impactful environmental programmes at the resort.