Business Events Perth (BE Perth) has confirmed five new business events worth over A$13.2 million (US$9.5 million), due to a boost in funding it received through the Government of Western Australia’s (WA) Reconnect WA package and its Keynote Speaker funding incentive.
The A$185 million Reconnect WA package included a A$15 million funding boost for BE Perth to assist the organisation in attracting lucrative business events to WA.
Since being awarded that boost in funding, BE Perth has confirmed four large-scale medical conferences that are set to see over 2,750 medical specialists travel to WA between 2022 and 2025, adding upwards of A$7.7 million to the local economy.
Additionally, BE Perth’s Keynote Speaker Incentive, which sponsors the attendance of high-profile keynote speakers in other destinations on the provision the conference then come to WA within three years, has led to the confirmation of a 1,600-delegate education conference for Perth in 2025, which is set to generate upwards of A$5.5 million in economic returns.
Since July 2020, Business Events Perth has secured 108 national and international events set to occur in WA from 2022 to 2029 representing A$107 million in economic impact for the State. BE Perth has also supported over 350 local events since August 2020.
BE Perth’s CEO Gareth Martin said the support of the WA Government through Tourism Western Australia and collaboration with the industry was pivotal in driving the strong positive results for business events in WA.
“The events that we have confirmed through the Reconnect WA funding and our Keynote Speaker Incentive were strategically targeted to align with the WA Government’s Diversify WA framework, which identifies health and medical life sciences and international education as two of the State’s key growth sectors,” Martin said.
The PATA Asia Pacific Visitor Forecasts 2022-2024 Full Report released on February 15 is predicting international visitor arrivals (IVAs) growth rates of 126 per cent to 84 per cent for mild, medium, and severe scenarios in 2022 versus 2021.
The increase in the absolute number of IVAs is predicted therefore to range from 72.5 million to 175.7 million under the severe and mild scenarios respectively, lifting the total volume of visitor arrivals to between 159 million and 315 million, under those same scenarios respectively.
While it is a positive and welcome development after two years of extremely difficult conditions, the international travel and tourism sector of the Asia-Pacific region still has much to repair and revitalise.
The forecasted increases in 2022 arrivals, for example, still only return them to 23-45 per cent of the level of foreign arrivals received in pre-pandemic 2019.
Moving forward to 2024, IVA growth over the next three years is projected to be positive, with the volume of IVAs in 2024 being equal to, or better than that of 2019, under two of the three scenarios.
PATA CEO Liz Ortiguera said: “Our latest forecast report numbers, based on data as of November 2021 reviewed in conjunction with our recent research advisory panel updates provided on January 24, 2021, provide the definitive outlook for Asia-Pacific visitor arrival forecasts. As noted by our panel, the effect of the Omicron variant is projected to have a small incremental impact for now, with the key earlier assumptions still driving the forecast.
“Equitable access and deployment of vaccines plus a practical risk-based approach to health and safety protocols in travel is foundational to not only the travel sector’s sustained recovery but to the overall global recovery from the pandemic.
“We share the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) view that the pharmaceutical sector must address barriers to access and affordability for all destinations. Furthermore, as acknowledged by the WHO, travel bans will not prevent international spread. Instead, travel channels should remain open with clear, practical guidelines as recently shared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO.”
Ortiguera also noted: “Various research studies and early travel patterns indicate a heightened consumer interest in a pivot to the right side of travel – longer journeys, more authentic experiences, and nature-based, wellness-oriented, and socially-conscious travel offerings are among the key trends for today’s travellers.
“Destinations can expedite their recovery by staying top-of-mind with consumers, communicating requirements with clarity and consistency, and offering a sustainable, healthy destination experience.”