Ballarat will be hosting the 2020 Australian Regional Tourism Convention (ARTC) to be held from October 26 to 28. The ART Convention is described as a must-attend event for local councils, regional tourism organisations, tourism professionals and businesses, and government personnel wanting to contribute to the future of regional tourism in Australia.
We love a great conference in a regional area and you might just see us at this one.
New flights between Brisbane and San Francisco on Qantas starting this week could be good news for the local business event sector. The new service will generate an extra 110,448 inbound seats and, according to the Palaszczuk Government, mean an additional $67.1m for Queensland over the next three years.
Let’s hope the flights are well patronised so Qantas keeps the route running.
The Federal Government has extended its ban on travellers from mainland China to Australia for another week with ongoing fears about the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Prime Minster Scott Morrison said today the ban would be extended for another seven days to February 22, with a further review pending.
The Australian Tourism Industry Council has been reported as saying the impact of the coronavirus on tourism will be worse than the summer bushfires.
Meetings & Events Australia (MEA) has received a record number of submissions for the 2019 MEA Awards. Award nominations closed with an 18 per cent year-on-year increase in the number of entries. CEO of MEA Robyn Johnson said: “This is an outstanding response. We are delighted with the high number of submissions from across the country. This demonstrates the depth of talent and professionalism in the Australian industry”. The state and territory MEA Award events will be held in March and April.
That’s a significant increase… I guess people are recognising the importance of industry awards.
To raise funds for the Australian bushfire recovery, W Bali has launched an online silent auction. The hotel will be auctioning off a stay at the property, with all funds going to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). The stay spans five nights for two in an ocean-facing room, and includes daily breakfast, a one-time dinner, a one-time sunset experience at Woobar and a sixty-minute spa treatment for two at the AWAY Spa.
A way to treat yourself to a luxurious getaway without feeling bad.
Australian online venue marketplace EventConnect.com has been acquired by online hotel bookings seller HotelPlanner. The acquisition comes as HotelPlanner continues its expansion into the Asia Pacific region, with a Singapore office recently launched. Within the larger infrastructure of HotelPlanner, EventConnect.com will increase the number of countries in South East Asia that are represented on the platform. The price of the deal was undisclosed, but micenet can confirm that it was in the seven figures.
Big news for EventConnect!
The first phase of Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach’s multi-million dollar re-design will be completed this month. With an emphasis on its meeting and event spaces, general manager Gareth Long says that the refurbishment will put the hotel “firmly back on the business events radar”. Each of the 10 meeting spaces have been modernised and provide more than 1175 sqm of space. They also provide the latest in AV technology, allowing for multi-room connectivity.
I’d love to do a site visit once it’s completed.
The countdown to the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) is on, and Conventions and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ) is gearing up for the journey across the ditch. The organisation’s new chief executive Lisa Hopkins will be meeting with delegates, and is excited to showcase the country’s leading venues. A total of 28 experts from 11 New Zealand organisations will be participating in AIME, including Business Events Wellington and Auckland Conventions Venues.
They’re always such a friendly bunch. Looking forward to catching up with them all.