Debuting at the MCB-owned Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) in Melbourne this week, the report highlighted the economic impact of business events as well as their role in driving investment, government policy, international collaborations, building relationships spanning the globe, youth empowerment and heightening awareness and catalysing change for global challenges.
Over the past decade, MCB has secured 1,620 business events for Melbourne that have made a collective $2.34 billion economic contribution to Victoria. In total, 1.3 million room nights have been booked by conference delegates attending events in Melbourne over the last 10 years.
“From the strengthening of leadership and international partnerships of the Asia Pacific Offshore Wind & Green Hydrogen Summit in 2023 to the community engagement of the 2024 Lions International Convention, and the lasting legacy and impact of the 20th International AIDS Conference, business events are invaluable to Victoria,” said MCB’s chief executive Julia Swanson.
“This report includes multiple case studies outlining what Melbourne Convention Bureau has achieved and the immense value that business events have brought to the Victorian community, to the economy, to education, trade and investment.”
Amongst others, the report includes a lengthy case study of the AIDS conference held in Melbourne in 2014 – the largest conference that had ever been held in Australia at that time.
The conference resulted in a significant boost in the Australian take-up of a medication which prevents HIV transmission and a nationwide commitment to virtually eliminating the spread of HIV in Australia, which was achieved in 2019, alongside global changes in policy and approaches to HIV related issues.
