May 26, 2022 | By Bronwen Largier
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (BCEC) has lifted the lid on two of its major business wins from 2021, with the two conventions worth $35 million for the Queensland economy and expected to bring thousands of international delegates to Brisbane.
Brisbane will host global women’s membership organisation Zonta’s international convention in 2024, following the success of a regional Zonta conference for Australia and New Zealand in 2021 which saw 900 delegates meet in Brisbane in 2021.
The centre will also host the Baptist World Congress in 2025, which is expected to bring together 6,000 delegates in Brisbane, with more than 5,000 of them travelling from overseas.
Both events traditionally also bring many delegates’ partners to their international meetings, so these conferences are expected to provide a boost to Queensland’s tourism offerings beyond that of the official delegate count.
The events are expected to generate 58,000 hotel room nights for the city’s accommodation sector.
“These are but two of 77 conventions confirmed for BCEC during 2021, ensuring a strong pipeline of business events into the future for Brisbane and Queensland and boosting the city’s appeal as a destination leading into the Brisbane 2032 Olympics,” said BCEC’s general manager Bob O’Keeffe.
BCEC partnered with Tourism Australia, through its Business Events Bid Fund Program, and with Tourism and Events Queensland through its Business Events Acquisition and Leveraging Fund, as well as with Brisbane Economic Development Agency to bring the two events to Brisbane for the first time.
“With a host of new hotels and world-class venues, a $15 billion infrastructure pipeline, stunning natural assets on its doorstep, and a subtropical climate, Brisbane is an unparalleled destination for business events,” said Brisbane’s Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, in relation to the wins.