Tasmania has long been on the list of places people would love to visit when they get the time.
That time seems to be approaching for a greater number of Australians, especially business people who are visiting the state in increasing numbers for both corporate meetings and incentives as well as for a three to five day leisure break.
It is in both these categories that Tasmania frequently surprises its visitors. Recent developments on Hobart’s already spectacular waterfront have added a sophistication not widely expected by those who have not visited recently. Lead by the Henry Jones Art Hotel, Australia’s most awarded hotel, and the spectacular boutique Islington Hotel, Hobart is offering a quality of accommodation not previously available.
One of Tasmania’s great attractions for this market has been the extensive range of experiences available within 30 minutes of the major centres. This is particularly the case in Hobart where three outstanding winery function centres are within 20 minutes of the city and invariably attract national and international corporate groups in addition to having strong leisure and cellar door markets.
Another award winning restaurant and function centre development is at Peppermint Bay, a 45 minute cruise on a luxury catamaran from the city centre.
Similarly, in other regions of the island state there are world class experiences that too many potential visitors don’t necessarily associate with Tasmania. Visit www.tasmaniaconventions.com.
It’s exciting times for Cairns and Region Convention Bureau with this month’s launch of our new destination branding.
We are confident the Change your Latitude theme will work extremely well for our business tourism market as we encourage people to take the opportunity to combine their business activities with the many life-enhancing tropical experiences available in the Cairns and Great Barrier Reef region.
The new branding will be featured in the latest edition of our Meeting and Incentive Planner’s Guide 2007-08, out in May. This comprehensive publication profiles the very best business tourism product available here, from venues and accommodation, event ideas, professional services and dining and entertainment through to pre & post touring and partner programs.
Last year we created a new format for our signature marketing event “Sell TNQ”, with workshops held in May and November. These events gave a total of around 60 buyers the opportunity to experience the destination and gain insight into our ever-expanding business tourism product. Good business has resulted from the exposure with some recently confirmed events including the Adult Learning Australia Conference and the NATRAD conference. We are also pleased to welcome back FoodWorks who held their 2004 conference in Palm Cove and return this year to Cairns. We look forward to welcoming many more buyers to the 2007 Sell TNQ workshop in November. Visit www.cairnsconventionbureau.com.
Following a successful Conventions on Tour program in 2006, the Northern Territory Convention Bureau will again be showcasing the Northern Territory to meeting and event planners nationwide in 2007.
Conventions on Tour consists of a range of networking events, from breakfasts and luncheons to cocktail events, and showcases the portfolio of options available for conference and incentive groups in the Northern Territory. The event will be kicking off in Brisbane on April 30, followed by Sydney and Canberra May 1, Melbourne May 2 with an exploratory extension to Adelaide and Perth on May 3 and 4. With Alice Springs Convention Centre, Darwin Convention Centre, InterContinental Hotels Group and Voyages Hotels and Resorts partnering the Northern Territory Convention Bureau on the roadshow, this is an opportunity for meeting and event planners to sample a real taste of the Territory. The now well established Alice Springs Convention Centre has gained a formidable reputation as a venue that assists to not only increase but also frequently exceed delegate number targets and offers a unique outback destination. Opening for business in July 2008, the new Darwin Convention Centre will position Darwin as a competitive option for larger conferences, catering for events up to 1500 delegates. To confirm your attendance at the Conventions on Tour event in your area, please contact Debbie Ngan on (02) 8281 9629 or via email Debbie.ngan@ntconventions.com.au.
Visit www.ntconventions.com.
Tourism Whitsundays would like to congratulate Fantasea Cruises on their recent win at the Australian Tourism Awards. Reefworld won the award for most Significant Tourist Attraction. The Whitsundays region benefits from being located as the closest point off the Queensland coast to the Great Barrier Reef, ensuring a variety of ways to experience the reef from seaplane flyovers and helicopter trips to cruise day excursions. Fantasea Cruises also offers the ultimate incentive, Reefsleep, a sleep over on the Great Barrier Reef at Reefworld. With a maximum of six guests, Reefsleep provides an exclusive reef experience.
This month Tourism Queensland and Tourism Whitsundays commenced the 2007 Whitsundays 74 Islands Out of The Blue campaign which has seen the launch of a new television commercial, bringing the number 74 to life. The campaign aims to portray the diverse experiences of the destination, its stunning natural beauty and personality, distinctive, fresh and stylish, all of which will position the Whitsundays as a world class premier destination for both leisure and business. The Whitsundays is often compared with international beach/island destinations like Fiji, Tahiti, Maldives, Hawaii and the Greek Islands. This commercial will certainly show how the Whitsundays differs from its competitors. For your chance to win a five night escape to the Whitsundays and to view the stunning new commercial visit
www.thewhitsundays.com.au.
Sydney is gearing up for IMEX with fresh accolades in hand, having been named “World’s Best Brand” in an international survey of 60 world cities.
The new title – in which Sydney overtook London and Paris to top the annual Anholt City Brands Index – joins a string of other distinctions for the city, which was last year named “World’s Best City” in the prestigious Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards for a record 11th time.
“Accolades like the World’s Best Brand underline the excellent reputation and destinational appeal Sydney has developed in the international arena,” according to SCVB managing director Jon Hutchison. “Sydney’s natural appeal is our chief asset in drawing high calibre delegates to international conferences, but we also work hard to demonstrate the excellent track record our city has in orchestrating successful and out-of-the-ordinary events.” The SCVB has secured 35 major conferences and business events to be held in Sydney this year, worth more than $100 million and expected to attract more than 30,000 delegates. The largest will be the International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention, which will bring 3000 world experts to Sydney in July and is worth $12 million. Other large-scale conferences scheduled this year include the Congress of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association for 2500 delegates in August (worth $10.5 million); the XVIII World Congress of the WASH (World Association for Sexual Health) and 1st World Congress for Sexual Health for 2500 delegates in April ($10 million); the Financial Planning Association 2007 National Conference for 2500 delegates in November ($6.8 million) and the International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand & International Federation of Societies of Hand Therapists for 2100 delegates in March ($7.7 million).
Visit www.scvb.com.au.
The Brisbane Marketing Convention Bureau has hit 2007 at full-pace adding three conference bid wins, two new guides, one industry award win, and multiple tradeshow appearances to its 2007 report card.
Bid wins
On the international front, Brisbane has triumphed over Japan to win the right to host the 2010 International Council of Nurses, International Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse Network Conference. The conference is expected to attract more than 500 delegates over three days and two nights.
On the domestic front, the Australian Technical Analysts Association has selected Brisbane as the destination for their national conference to be held at the Queensland University of Technology Gardens Theatre. The conference, scheduled for October 2007, is expected to attract more than 300 delegates over three days and two nights. The bureau has also successfully secured the 15th National Haemophilia Conference for 2009 which is expected to attract more than 300 delegates.
New guides
Recent bid wins aside, the search for new business continues. Since the start of 2007 the bureau has done the rounds of AIME, ECQ and TABEE Asia and released two of the best meeting guides around – the 2007-08 Brisbane Meeting Planners’ Guide and 2007 Brisbane Unique Venues Guide. These are the must-have reference items for anyone looking to put together the perfect meeting package.
On Friday, March 2, Brisbane Marketing claimed the title of Queensland’s best Convention Bureau/Tourist Organisation at the 2006 Meetings and Events (MEA) Industry Awards (Queensland). The award win recognises the outstanding results achieved by the bureau during the 2005-06 period and, in the view of Mr Paul Lewin (Brisbane Marketing Director of Business Development), is a timely reminder of Brisbane’s rising status as a modern MICE destination.
Visit www.meetinbrisbane.com.
A record number of Townsville representatives made the trip to the AsiaPacific Incentives and Meetings Expo (AIME) in Melbourne to attract new business to North Queensland. The Townsville Convention Bureau was joined at AIME by Jupiters Townsville Hotel and Casino, the Quality Hotel Southbank and Convention Centre, the Mercure Inn, Sunsea Travel and Mazmac Event Management.
Townsville is well serviced for the business events market with direct flights operating from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane on all major airlines. The region boasts quality conference facilities to cater for groups of all sizes, specialising in providing tailored services for the smaller end of the industry.
The region expects to see a number of new business events facilities come online early in the year with Magnetic Island’s brand new Peppers Blue on Blue set to open a luxury conference centre. Billabong Sanctuary, North Queensland’s leading animal park received government funding to construct an outdoor conference facility, while the brand new Riverway on the banks of the Ross River boasts an outdoor amphitheatre, a large indoor conference area, and a number of meeting rooms. North Queensland is an ideal destination for conferences and events of up to 1000 people. We’ve got fantastic facilities and services for smaller groups and the legendary North Queensland lifestyle and friendly hospitality make our region a great choice for business events. The Townsville Convention Bureau offers personalised services for every event – large or small – and the local industry offers creative services and solutions to make your next event a success.
Visit www.townsvilleonline.com.au.
The Sunshine Coast is home to some fantastic major events including the Noosa and Mooloolaba Triathlons, Australian PGA Golf Championship, Australian Celebration of Food and Wine Festival plus many more. These events provide a great opportunity for business event participants to enjoy the spectacle of an international event whilst visiting the region.
The next big event coming to the Sunshine Coast is Spettacolare 2007 where Sophia Loren will visit as the arts patron of the Italian - Australian Film Festival. Spettacolare will be an extraordinary four day world class event, merging the Italian and Australian Film industry with fashion, opera, music, food and will take place on the Sunshine Coast from March 29 to April 2, 2007. The festival will be spread across four Sunshine Coast venues and include a program of fun and entertainment, glittered with the appearances of many international stars and celebrities, including Sophia Loren. Street parades, opera in the park, open air cinemas, fireworks, dancing, live music and an exciting cinema program of Italian and Australian films touch just briefly on the extensive list of events planned during the festival. More information can be found at www.iaff.com.au
New “Navigator”
The Sunshine Coast “Meeting and Incentive Navigator 2007 - 2008” is out now and includes more venues, support service providers and incentive ideas than ever before. The bureau’s last Navigator won plenty of accolades (and a print and design award) as being one of the most practical meetings tools ever produced, so the 2007-2008 edition shouldn’t be missed. Information in the Navigator is also replicated on the Sunshine Coast Convention Bureau website www.sccb.net.au – specially developed with meetings managers in mind the site is easy to use and full of great information on running a business event in the region. For your free copy email the SCCB at enquiry@tsc.com.au.
A survey conducted by MCVB between September and December 2006 has found that interstate and international convention delegates are spending on average 24 per cent more in Melbourne compared to the findings reported in the National Business Events Study (NBES). The survey found that the average daily expenditure for international delegates is $697 with average spend per trip being $4,692. Average daily expenditure for interstate delegates is $713 or $3,890 for the trip. 58 per cent of international delegates said they may return to Melbourne in the next five years for a holiday and 48 per cent of delegates said they would not have visited Australia in the next three years if the conference had not been here. 31 per cent of delegates were staying or had considered staying in regional Victoria as part of their trip to Melbourne and 13 per cent of all delegates purchased some Victorian wine to take home with them. The average length of stay in Melbourne for convention delegates was 5.87 nights.
David McCarthy, national account manager at MCVB, has won the IMEX 2007 Prize awarded by the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux (AACB). The prize is designed to foster career development of bureau staff with aspirations for growth in position, responsibilities and leadership. David, who joined the MCVB in August last year and previously held positions at Crown Towers and Crown Promenade Hotels, beat a field of six other contenders from around Australia.
Visit www.mcvb.com.au.
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