Before the release of its 2025-2026 results, MCB has released figures for its strong start to the current financial year.
Between July and September, the bureau secured 75 events for the city, which have a combined forecast economic impact of $152 million. Almost 29,000 are expected to attend these events.
In the first quarter, Melbourne hosted some large-scale conferences, including the first local editions of the co-located Data Center World and the AI Summit for 1,850 delegates and the International Diabetes Federation Western Pacific Region Congress for more than 2,500 attendees.
MCB has also flagged a variety of large Asian incentives set to be held in Melbourne and regional Victoria in the months ahead, including groups from Amway Vietnam, Ctrip China, PX Mart and TATA AIG India.
Meanwhile, across the Tasman, results are out for Auckland Convention Bureau and Auckland Conventions, Venues and Events, the venue group operated as a subsidiary of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, the city’s events and destination agency. The bureau also sits within the agency while the agency itself sits under Auckland Council.
Auckland Convention Bureau won 65 events for the city over the last financial year, with event dates out to 2028. These events are anticipated to have an economic impact of NZ$61.5 million and generate 128,000 visitor nights.
In all the bureau supported 196 event bids during the year with event dates out to 2031.
Auckland Conventions, Venues and Events’ 13 venues around the city hosted 372 business events, representing 461 event days, for more than 246,000 delegates.
The venue business pulled in net revenue of NZ$11.04 million, exceeding its target.
Auckland Conventions, Venues and Events’ results also demonstrated the power of mega business events coming to Auckland.
The venue group hosted the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education (WIPCE) – the largest academic event to ever be held in New Zealand, with 3,800 delegates. Hosted across multiple venues within Auckland Conventions, Venues and Events’ portfolio, the event was largely responsible for driving up year-on-year delegate numbers for the business by 52 per cent and accounted for nearly seven per cent of revenue across all 13 venues for the entire year.
