With Melbourne suffering under the most restrictive conditions in Australia during the height of the pandemic – that didn’t even allow the convention centre to host virtual events – Melbourne’s major business events venue has made an incredible bounce back in 2022-2023.
The convention centre hosted 694 events which generated $805 million for the state’s economy.
MCEC’s event mix included hosting 21 international events, 70 national events and 124 local meetings, conferences and exhibitions, in addition to 79 concerts and other ticketed events.
Events included a Business Leaders lunch with President Obama, Global Botanic Gardens Congress, the 151st International Air Transport Association Slot Conference, Spineweek, Australian Manufacturing Week and parts of the International Rotary Convention.
In May alone, the centre welcomed 89,000 visitors to 76 events.
Being the permanent home for immersive digital art gallery THE LUME also boosted MCEC’s numbers for the year, proving its ambition to be home to the unconventional is paying off.
“As demand for in-person events returned stronger than expected, MCEC was able to once again welcome events from across the nation and the globe and contribute to the Victorian economy,” said MCEC chief executive Natalie O’Brien AM.
“We’re proud of the MCEC team and our partners, who delivered extraordinary events and exceptional customer experiences throughout the year.”
The centre also offered up $2.2 million of in-kind value to community events, continued its sustainability journey and forged new partnerships with the Victorian Tourism and Industry Council and The Startup Network to support the business events and tourism industries and help improve the customer experience at the venue.
