Beef 2021 generates $94 million for greater Rockhampton region

Beef Australia Chairman Bryce Camm said the results were outstanding, particularly because of the difficulty caused by COVID-19.

A Beef Australia 2021 attendee.

Beef 2021 generated $94 million in direct and incremental expenditure for the Rockhampton and Livingstone Shires and $59.5 million for Queensland, a new report reveals.

Beef Australia Chairman Bryce Camm said the results were outstanding, particularly because of the difficulty caused by COVID-19.

“We decided it was too big a responsibility to our industry and community not to try and make it work,” he said.

“It was a calculated risk to forge ahead, but not only was Beef 2021 staged without any COVID-19 exposure, it was a record event in terms of attendance, media publicity, and now we can report record economic benefit for both the region and state.”

Beef 2021 at a glance. Source: Beef Australia

IER completed an economic and social impact research study for Beef 2021 by surveying nearly 3,000 attendees and exhibitors in the month after the event.

The event attracted a total of 115,866 attendances, a 15 per cent increase from 2018, across seven days.

The research suggested that the average person visited the event on 2.81 days.

“Now we have wrapped up Beef 2021 and have the results of this research the board will hold a strategic planning workshop at the end of September to focus on recruitment of a new CEO and finalise strategy towards Beef 2024 and beyond,” Mr Camm said.

Capricornia MP Michelle Landry congratulated the organisers on “another record-breaking Beef Australia event”.

“It is fantastic that 115,866 people attended Beef 2021,” she said.

“The week connected beef producers, agribusiness, industry experts and international trading partners while also showcasing the greater Rockhampton Region.”

The Federal Government contributed $3.9 million towards Beef 2021.