The awards aim to identify and celebrate the best events, suppliers, teams, venues and people in the business events industry.
New categories for 2025 include three awards for individuals – Event Manager of the Year, Operations Person of the Year and Sales, Marketing or Business Event Development Person of the Year – and two new venue awards – one for convention centres and one for other business events venues.
For teams across the sector, there are now two supplier team awards – one for hire companies and one for all other suppliers. Convention bureaus will also have the opportunity to battle it out to be recognised as the best this year, with a new award for the best bureau team.
In all, there are 26 awards up for grabs, including three that are the best of the best from the winners of other overarching award clusters – the best overall event, product or initiative and best overall team.
“These awards are designed to elevate excellence, inspire progress and celebrate the people shaping the future of business events,” said ABEA’s chief executive, Melissa Brown.
“Beyond recognition, the awards offer finalists and winners national exposure, increased credibility among stakeholders and access to a high-impact evening of networking with leaders and decision-makers from across the sector.”
Organisations must be ABEA members in order to enter the awards. The association currently has more than 200 members who will be able to enter.
All events and achievements must have taken place between October 1, 2024 and September 30, 2025 to be eligible for the awards.
Entries for the awards are completed online and will close on October 14.
Winners will be announced on December 4 at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre at an awards gala that coincides with the association’s annual conference which is also taking place at the convention centre in Melbourne this year.
