Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) has recently celebrated the venue’s largest footfall on record welcoming over 89,000 visitors in May 2023.
The increase in visitors has surpassed pre-Covid levels, with MCEC chief executive, Natalie O’Brien, noting: “In the first full year of operation post-Covid, MCEC has seen an enthusiastic return to in-person events, demonstrating our ability to bounce back and offer exceptional experiences for our customers.”
MCEC hosted over 76 events during May including manufacturing, hospitality, health, business, industry, and consumer events.
According to the venue, events hosted at MCEC have a ripple effect across Victoria - with MCEC employing close to 1,000 people and supporting over 1,700 suppliers and businesses. It additionally works with over 600 food and beverage vendors to source produce locally and sustainably.
Victoria’s minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Steve Dimopoulos, comments on the economic impact of MCEC’s events: “Business events keep our hotels full, our restaurants buzzing and our economy strong.”
The events
The month kicked off with Spineweek, which brought together 1,500 international clinicians and scientists.
FoodService Australia was held at MCEC over three days, gathering 8,000 industry professionals.
Australian Manufacturing Week brought together nearly 16,000 attendees from 29 different countries.
The Good Food & Wine Show attracted over 26,000 attendees from across the State.
Finally, at the end of May MCEC hosted the Rotary International Convention, which attracted over 14,000 international delegates to Melbourne and delivered over $91 million to the local economy.
- The event took over MCEC, Rod Laver Arena at Melbourne and Olympic Parks, with activations throughout the city.
Image courtesy of MCEC.
