The buoyant progress comes on top of a record result last financial year.
Following Australia withdrawing its bid for the global climate conference COP31, the bureau implemented an alternative strategy.
Business Events Adelaide chief executive, Damien Kitto, spoke to micenet this month, saying the city gained significant international profile from the COP bid.
“We actually launched a campaign just before Christmas to attract small to medium and large groups if they’re still out there, for business in the second half of the year…I’m delighted to say we’ve already won 16 events for that period worth around $22 million, most of those small to medium,” he said.
“We’ve got another 20 plus bids on the go that we’re very confident to convert. So, all of that business has come about literally in the last two months or less.
Kitto says the fact that 40 event opportunities were generated since December “validates just how short term the market is [for] small to medium associations, but also corporate groups and incentive groups behind that”.
Adelaide’s ability to host 5,000 delegates at its convention centre puts it into the mix with associations looking to gather in east coast capitals.
Given improved air connectivity and over 1,100 new hotel rooms due to come online this year and further ahead – including Treehouse Adelaide, Crystalbrook Sam, Little National Adelaide and a Westin – Kitto is bullish about the future.
He said the January 1 merger of the University of South Australia and the University of Adelaide gives Adelaide the largest student university in Australia along with its potential for generating events.
“We all know the value of working with the university sector and the bid champions through the various professors and academics.
“So that’s a really exciting opportunity and the value that that’s going to drive further into the Biomed City and Lot 14 innovation districts is a great proposition for Business Events Adelaide to attract national and international business events,” Kitto said.
In addition, the government announced $10 million in subvention funding last December for domestic and international event bids.
“I think the two key things for attracting Asian corporate incentive groups, be it small, medium to large, is flight capacity and also the experience and the affordability and the value that’s provided. And bid funding has a fair say over that.
“Looking at where the market was in 2019-20, the subvention required now to win, particularly the large groups, has more than doubled.
“So, it’s incredibly competitive, not only within Australia, but New Zealand; Europe is a very popular destination for everything that it offers, for Asian incentive groups as well.
“So, you’ve got to be in it to win it,” Kitto said.
