Qld beats Sydney and Melbourne for slice of business travel

Queensland is beating out Sydney and Melbourne in the bid to attract the lucrative business travel dollar as executives hit the road after Covid-19.

Queensland is beating out Sydney and Melbourne in the bid to attract the lucrative business travel dollar as executives hit the road after Covid-19.

The latest data reveals face-to-face business meetings and conferences are back in full force across the state’s three major convention venues - the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Cairns Convention Centre and the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.

So far the figures are impressive with the three centres over the past year securing 37 national conferences, bringing 24,000 delegates and delivering 80,000 room nights to Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Cairns.

Industry watchers credit a relatively modest $7m State Government financial incentive program launched last April in helping get high spending conferences and business travellers to Queensland as well as pumping $43m into local economies to date.

Queensland Tourism Minister Stuart Hinchcliffe says the events will have a significant flow-on effect for the regions with each conference expected to create thousands of jobs across the hospitality, travel and tourism sectors.

“Queensland convention centres offer the state’s great lifestyle with a perfect mix of business and leisure,” Hinchcliffe says. “We know nothing beats face-to-face networking for shaking off the pandemic and getting back to business.” Tourism leaders also see corporate travel as an important cog in the industry because business travellers tend to spend more on hotels, restaurants and shopping than conventional holiday-makers.

Cairns Convention Centre General Manager Janet Hamilton

The Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre hosted more than 1000 delegates at a three-day Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) conference in December, the first held by the body in three years.

SHPA chief executive Kristin Michaels says to “be in such a wonderful city and location was incredibly compelling.” “At a very unsettled time, we had the financial assurance that we could run a successful event,” Michaels says.

The Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre meanwhile secured a multi-year deal with the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists that is expected to attract more than 1000 delegates, and global experts in 2023 and 2024.

Australia and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists chief executive Stephen Alderman says incentives provided by the government contributed to the decision to come to the tourism strip. “The fact that it offers a multi-year incentive has been one of the key decision drivers that has made us come to the Gold Coast for the next two years,” Alderman says.

Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre general manager Adrienne Readings says the venue now has a competitive advantage in securing valuable multiyear events.

“There’s a robust incentive for events to come to, and stay in, Queensland for two or more years,” Readings says.

Kym Guesdon

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) general manager Kym Guesdon says the rebound in business travel has contributed to a bumper year for BCEC. “Strong bookings through 2023/24 ensure a future healthy pipeline for national business,” Guesdon says.

Hundreds of thousands of delegates from across the world are expected to attend hundreds of conferences and business events throughout Brisbane this year. The Brisbane Economic Development Agency will send a team to Melbourne this month for the Asia Pacific Incentives Meetings Event (AIME) in a bid to lure even more major business events our way.

Cairns Convention Centre general manager Janet Hamilton says a new $176 million expansion of the centre had attracted bigger conferences. “We have found that several events are coming to Cairns for the first time,” Hamilton says, who adds the Great Barrier, Atherton Tablelands, and the new dining precinct along the Esplanade were key attractions for business travellers.

Better Brisbane Alliance

BRISBANE 2032 chief executive Cindy Hook spent her third day in the job being introduced to the movers and shakers tasked with helping fast-track the city’s growth over the next decade.

Hook, as boss of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee, was a keen observer as members of the new Better Brisbane Alliance, an initiative of the Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA), met to discuss how they could help supercharge the city’s economy, already forecast to be worth $239 billion by 2041.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinnersays Brisbane is known as a destination with enormous talent and potential and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games will help expand that reputation globally.

“Brisbane is the fastest-growing capital city in the country and together our enviable lifestyle and strong, diverse economy are attracting people from across Australia,” Schrinner says.

“Our incredible growth is likely to gather pace over the next decade as work gets under way delivering infrastructure and more tourists venture here to discover the world’s newest Olympic and Paralympic Games region.”

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner. Picture, John Gass

BEDA chief executive officer Anthony Ryan says the Better Brisbane Alliance will focus on amplifying Brisbane as a leading destination for business, investment and visitation, as well as enhancing the city’s accessibility, inclusivity and sustainability credentials.

The Better Brisbane Alliance was born out of industry engagement undertaken by BEDA in 2022 to create the Brisbane Brief, a sales tool to attract investment and business to the city.

Better Brisbane Alliance members include Councillor Krista Adams – Deputy Mayor; Juliet Alabaster – chief operating officer, BEDA; Kylie Blucher – managing director, Nine Queensland and Nine Northern NSW; John Collins – director, BEDA Board and venue director, Fortitude Music Hall and The Triffid; Robbie Cooke – Group chief executive officer, Star Entertainment Group; Heidi Cooper – chief executive officer, Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland; Elsa Dalessio – chair, Queensland Tourism Industry Council; Gert-Jan de Graaff – chief executive officer, Brisbane Airport Corporation; Phil Di Bella – founder and managing director, The Coffee Commune; Kate Gould – chief executive officer/artistic director, Brisbane Powerhouse; David Hoey – president and chief executive officer, Vaxxas; Bernie Hogan – chief executive officer, Queensland Hotels Association; Peter Hyland – founder and director, Urbis; Chris Jones – editor, The Courier-Mail; Harvey Lister AM – chairman and chief executive officer, ASM Global Asia Pacific; Patricia O’Callaghan – chief executive officer, Tourism Events Queensland; Don O’Rorke – chief executive officer and chairman, Consolidated Properties Group; Shannon Ruska – director, Tribal Experiences; Anthony
Ryan – chief executive officer, BEDA and group co-chair; Chris Saines – director, Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA); Paul Spiro – chairman, BEDA Board, Queensland chairman, Gadens, and group co-chair; Neil Stephens – chief executive officer, Port of Brisbane; Jen Williams – Queensland executive director, Property Council of Australia.