Transcript The Future of Business Events in Regional Victoria

Andrew Hiebl
Chairman, Business Events Victoria
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What are business events?
An overview of the BE industry
Why are business events so
attractive?
The future of business events in
Regional Victoria.
Business
Events
(Business Tourism)
MICE
Meetings, Incentives,
Conferences and
Exhibitions
Tourism Australia
BEA
MEA
BEV
BECA
Stakeholders
State Government
Federal Government
AACB
VECCI / VTIC
Business Community
TVIC
Local Government
MCVB
National Framework
BE Strategy
Australian
BE Industry
BECA:
-AACB
-EEAA
-ICCA
-ACCG
-MEA
General
Industry/
Commerce
Organisations
www.businesseventscouncil.org.au
Australian
Government
Tourism
Industry
Reps,
eg. NTA
Federal
Minister for
Tourism
Tourism
Australia:
•BEA
•TRA
Other Govt
Depts/
Agencies,
eg. DFAT,
Austrade
Australian
BE Industry
BECA:
-AACB
-EEAA
-ICCA
-ACCG
-MEA
State
Branches of
BE Industry
Associations
General
Industry/
Commerce
Organisations
VECCI /
Business
Chambers
Australian
Government
Tourism
Industry
Reps,
eg. NTA
VTIC + BEV
Federal
Minister for
Tourism
Tourism
Australia:
•BEA
•TRA
Other Govt
Depts/
Agencies,
eg. DFAT,
Austrade
State
Minister for
Tourism
Tourism
Victoria +
MCVB
Other State
Govt Depts/
Agencies
Melbourne Convention & Visitors Bureau
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MCVB established by the State Government in 1968
(first in Australia)
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In 1977, the organisation was provided with the
resources to actively target international conventions
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In the same year, the convention and corporate travel
industry was a $17M industry attracting just 9
international conventions per year
Meetings & Events Australia
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MEA can trace its roots to the formation of the
Association of Conference Executives (ACE) in
1975
In 1990, the group saw a name change to
Meetings Industry Association of Australia
A new trading name was announced in 2005:
Meetings & Events Australia
Business Events Australia
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Team Australia was formed in 1998, a co-operative
venture between members of the Association of
Australian Convention Bureaux members and
Tourism Australia
A dedicated Business Events Australia brand was
created in 2008 by TA
BEA is part of the recently formed National BE
Strategy Working Group established by the hon.
Martin Ferguson MP
Melbourne Convention &
Exhibition Centre
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Melbourne Convention Centre opened in 1990
Melbourne Exhibition Centre – “Jeff’s Shed” –
opened in 1996 replacing the Royal Exhibition
Building
Offering 30,000 square metres of pillar less floor
space – the largest in the southern hemisphere
Melbourne Convention &
Exhibition Centre
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NEW Melbourne Convention Centre
◦ Opened in 2009
◦ Part of a $1.4bn development of the new South Wharf
precinct - PPP
◦ Complimenting convention and exhibition facilities on one
site
◦ Six Green Star rated building
◦ 5,500 seat auditorium / 1,500 seat Grand Banquet room
◦ 32 meeting rooms
◦ Conference hotel: Hilton Hotel
◦ Owner and venue manager:
Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Trust
Business Events Victoria
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Melbourne vs Regional Victoria
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Industry Association:
Regional Victoria Conference Group established in 1996
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Conference Planners Guide, lobbying, cooperative
advertising, trade events
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Changed trading name to Business Events Victoria in 2009
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Current State Government commitment = $1M over 4yrs
Economic Impact

Traditionally, economic impact was the primary
driver for destinations in attracting conferences.
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Up to $550 per delegate per day (direct).
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Meetings industry in Australia is valued at
approximately $18 billion.

Conference delegates are more likely to return
with family or friends.
New Focus: Beyond Tourism Impacts
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Attract Trade and Investment
Promote host destination and achievements
Stimulate local Innovation
Knowledge sharing and increased
performance
Cultural exchange
Supporting the community
Regional development
Local & State level
1. Localised collateral: Planners Guides
2. Dedicated BE staff
3. Regional Convention Bureaux
4. FREE support / venue finding
services
Methods of conference attraction:
 Marketing Activities
 Buy it?
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Create inaugural conferences?
Strategic bidding
Bidding via ambassadors
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Focus on delegate boosting
Through the promotion of Green and
environmental benefits.
CSR
CSR definition:
“Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is the actions taken
by an organisation to minimise negative social and
environmental impacts and leverage core competencies,
products or services to create positive social and
environmental impacts. To be socially responsible, all
organisations need to develop the five core capabilities
of social responsibility: stakeholder engagement, social
accountability, ethical business behaviour, dialogue and
value attuned communication.“
BEA, July 2008
Strategic Objective 2010-13

To be the forum where the public
sector comes together to learn,
debate, share experiences and
explore new ideas to build an
integrated and high achieving public
sector.
Priorities 2010-13 (2 of 4)
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Strengthen networks and
collaboration across and between
levels of government.
Raise the reputation of the public
sector internally as well as in the
wider community.
In Summary:
For any regional destination to
attract your meetings in the future,
they will need to overcome negative
perceptions of regional conferencing
by pitching in alignment of your
strategic goals and vision.
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Q&A...