AUSTRALIA - The Business Events Council of Australia has requested AU$20m of government money to stop a sharp decline in Australian events visitor numbers.
BECA chairman Geoff Donaghy says: “Latest ABS figures show that visitor arrivals for business events fell by an alarming 23 per cent in 2009 over 2008, with convention numbers faring worse than overall tourism visitor numbers.”
“This continues a disturbing picture that has been growing. Australia has slipped from fourth in 2000 to 14th last year in the International Congress and Convention Association’s world rankings for international conferences.”
Donaghy also called for Australian companies to be given a tax incentive to hold their events at home rather than overseas.
The funding request includes a AU$10m Business Events Bid Fund to help organisers bid to hold events in Australia, a AU$5m International Delegate Boosting Fund to boost attendance, and a AU$5m Branding and Marketing Fund to boost Australia as a business events destination.
The news comes as the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre undergoes a AU$130m expansion that will increase its annual capacity by 250 events.
Also, plans were announced late last year to build an AU$100m arts and exhibition centre on the Sunshine Coast within five years.
