Destination Gold Coast has impressed with new products and experiences at its annual showcase, winning high approval ratings from both event planners and exhibitors.
This is Gold Coast 2023 (TIGC23) not only exceeded expectations in terms of attendance and leads, it also underscored the value of doing events in the Gold Coast for international event planners, despite higher costs compared to Japan and Europe.
“Participants at TIGC23 were treated to a range of new experiences, underscoring our commitment to catering to diverse markets,” said Brooke Campbell, head of business events at Destination Gold Coast.
“The Welcome Event at Sea World was a huge success, leaving attendees with a fresh and enriching encounter with the Gold Coast. From the conversations in the room, it’s clear that we’ve set the benchmark high, which means we’ll need to raise it even higher next year,” Campbell remarked.
DGC confirmed 72 buyers were in attendance plus 41 exhibitors, an increase in numbers on both counts compared to last year. Additionally, the event has generated an impressive A$50 million (US$32.3 million) in business leads.
When asked about the competitiveness of the Gold Coast as a destination in the face of rising costs, Campbell responded: “We do have a premium product here in Australia so there’s a cost (in delivering that). But there are other things that come to play, such as the legacy they’re going to get from their events”.
However, Campbell opined that the higher costs are temporary, and will come down when airline capacity, currently at about 60 to 70 per cent, improves.
Delegates told TTGmice they were impressed by the showcase this year.
“It’s been a really help for a DMC as ours because so much has changed after the pandemic and we needed to refresh our contacts with suppliers,” said Carol Ru, general manager for PTC Express Travel which represents markets mainly in South-east Asia, China and Taiwan.
“I’ve been inspired by new ideas that I wouldn’t even have thought of before, like yoga on the beach and beer tasting. Our enquiries for Australia are definitely up, especially late last year and early this year, with the Gold Coast being a good alternative to Sydney or Melbourne,” she added.
Rosa Megalina, Indonesia manager for Holiday to Oz Travel, echoed similar sentiments with a huge thumbs up for TIGC23, giving it a nine out of 10 rating.
“It’s been very, very good and helped refresh my knowledge of the destination. My favourite experiences were the Welcome Event at Sea World’s Atlantis Precinct, and our visit to Tropical Fruit World (which included an indigenous address and garden lunch),” she shared.
Exhibitors seemed to be equally happy. “It’s been an exceptional couple of days that has led to lots of requests for quotes,” said Rachel Dallas, head of sales at Home Of The Arts, which hosted the pre-fam dinner event.
“It’s great to get that momentum back after the last few (pandemic) years. There’s just a lot more energy now on the tradeshow floor with people really eager to put on events,” she observed.
The Gold Coast boasts 160 experiences within a 30-minute travel radius. Soon-to-open new hotels – such as the Ritz-Carlton, St Regis, and Mondrian – will add around 3,000 keys to the market. Meanwhile, The Langham Gold Coast, which hosted a stunning gala night for TIGC23, was just launched a year ago.
Looking ahead, the pipeline for future events in the Gold Coast appears robust. “With 102 events in our pipeline, estimated to be worth around A$200 million leading up to 2030, the outlook is promising for continued growth,” said Campbell.
He was most recently the general manager at Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena in Bansko, Bulgaria.
