With the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre taking more shape every day and event planners getting even more eager for its completion, the state-of-the-art centre is just one additional feather in the cap of this made-for-conventions city.
Right now it looks like Melbourne is greener than Dublin on St Patrick’s Day with its vast eco-friendly offerings literally painting the town green.
Recently the Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau commissioned a report on what business event organisations are doing in this sector. Entitled Melbourne’s Green Credentials it details the initiatives operators involved with staging business events in Melbourne are adopting to make them more sustainable. According to the MCVB’s CEO Sandra Chipchase, the environmental impact of business events is a growing consideration when buyers are deciding which destination to book, and this can make a significant economic impact.
“Business events generate vital export dollars for Victoria, with international delegates to conferences and exhibitions spending five to six times more than international tourists,” she said.
Which is exactly the reason why it’s important for the MCVB to be aware of and promote innovative, unique and even award-winning environmentally friendly initiatives that the Melbourne business events industry is adopting.
One of these currently underway is the City of Melbourne Council’s ‘Saving the City’ pilot program. This program provides leadership, support, recognition and advice to 25 participating hotels to assist each property in reducing its energy, water and waste consumption.
One of the properties taking part in this project is the Langham Hotel. The hotel recently adopted the “waterless wok” which will reportedly save the property around three million litres of potable water in the space of a year.
Ms Chipchase said she was encouraged to see the Melbourne business events industry embracing the green challenge.
“Hotels participating in Saving the City expect to slash the amount of rubbish they send to landfill by between 20 and 40 per cent over the next year – a fantastic result,” she said.
“When decisions are made about which of several competing cities around the world has won the right to host a large business event, decision-makers increasingly look at what the cities can offer in terms of reducing energy, waste and water consumption as well as offsetting the carbon emissions associated with staging that event.”
In this regard, Melbourne is clearly leading the charge in Australia for more environmentally responsible events activity. The Melbourne’s Green Credentials documents is available as a free download from the bureau’s website – www.mcvb.com.au.
The Amway Greater China event held in Melbourne in April was the largest single corporate event for Melbourne, and went off exceptionally well according to those on the front line and Amway.
The event, held between April 7 and 25, was in fact four events of 1800 delegates each. Estimates are that the event injected just over $34 million into the local economy.
It was likened to the peak of the Melbourne Commonwealth Games influx, requiring a special luggage area at Tullamarine airport and a command centre in the city. Amway reportedly had a 200-strong operations team plus an army of Melbournians focused on transportation, accommodation, dining, entertainment and sightseeing.
Event specialist Peter Jones, who produced a series of special Amway World of Light themed dinners, described the event as “by far the largest scale corporate event Melbourne has seen”, rating Amway as “a highly professional client…they know exactly what they want, and what they don’t want.”
What is your vision for the Bell City development and how did it come about?
The Bell City vision has developed over the past 10 years through recognition of opportunities in the burgeoning northern suburbs of Melbourne. The completion of the final stage of the development in September 2008 will result in a high-quality multi-purpose site providing accommodation, conferencing and wedding venues, restaurants, sports bar, TAB, café, convenience store, Australia Post office and commercial office space to not only local business and residents but travelling business, conference and leisure guests. The location is ideal for business and leisure travellers [because it is] just 20 minutes by car or taxi from the CBD and Melbourne airport.
What is the concept behind the development?
The concept as the name states - Bell City - is to provide a selection of quality facilities and services in a multi-purpose venue where people want to stay, meet and even live. It truly will be a city.
How will this property be unique in terms of accommodation and business event facilities in the area?
Brand new and state-of-the-art, our 21 conference and event spaces will seat up to 500 delegates in the Bell City Ballroom supported by 382 new 4.5-star Manhattan accommodation rooms with full kitchen facilities and 444 three-star studio rooms all on the one site. Coupled with this is a 775 square metre all-weather marquee ideal for those big events requiring a plenary room for 500 and separate exhibition space for 50 booths. The development will offer all the CBD bells and whistles in a central suburban location in close proximity to Melbourne International Airport and the Melbourne CBD with ease of access from three main arterials and more than 600 complimentary car parking spaces.
The development will be completed mid-year, what kind of impact do you think it will make?
Based on the initial enquiry level and conversion of bookings I would say significant. Already seven large residential conferences and exhibitions have been booked that the hotel would not have been able to cater for with our current capacities. Considering the development is still in its construction stage the interest and feedback has been overwhelming. From a local perspective Bell City represents a significant investment in the local workforce and will provide services and facilities previously unavailable outside the CBD.
Have you ever been involved in a project similar to this or have you ever seen a development with this kind of substance in Victoria, or for that matter Australia wide?
Personally I have not been involved in a development of this kind, but not many people would have based on the size and uniqueness of the development. Having worked with Rydges Hotels & Resorts for the past 15 years and the last 10 years in Sydney and New Zealand it’s very exciting to return home and be involved personally, but more so to be sharing this with the team being formed here at Bell City
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If you’re after a remarkable food experience where your plate looks more like a masterpiece this is the restaurant for you. Located on Little Collins Street in the heart of the CBD, this restaurant promises a classic fine-dining experience which encompasses quality food, service and ambience. As well as fine dining in Vue De Monde, foodies can also feast in Bistro Vue and Café Vue, which all offer unique culinary experiences. Bistro Vue is inspired by turn-of-the-century Parisian Bistro food and boasts an informal, yet stylish ambience. visit www.vuedemonde.com.au.
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