Melbourne’s convention centre along with the soon-to-open Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre are both managed by the Victorian Convention and Event Trust (VCET), which has just released its annual results and impact reports for the 2024-2025 financial year.
MCEC hosted 714 events over the year, comprising 27 international conferences and exhibitions, 170 national meetings and exhibitions, 432 local conferences, meetings and exhibitions and 85 concerts and other ticketed events. More than 800,000 delegates attended business events at the venue.
In all, the centre drove a $686 million economic impact for the state of Victoria, while also scoring some financial wins for the centre itself. MCEC notched up its highest ever monthly revenue of $15.8 million in October 2024 and achieved overall year-on-year revenue growth of five per cent.
In terms of impact, during the year MCEC launched its net zero roadmap, setting a target of a 50 per cent reduction in carbon emissions compared to its baseline by 2030, and reaching net zero across all three emissions scopes by 2050.
The team also donated 3,842kg of food to OzHarvest, changed to natural, sustainable unbleached napkins, launched its accessibility plan to 2027 and appointed four people living with disabilities to its accessibility advisory committee.
The venue maintained its Platinum certification with EarthCheck and, during the 2024 calendar year, diverted 50,500kg of organics from landfill.
“This year has shown the incredible impact VCET can have across Victoria, supporting local businesses and communities while welcoming new standards for sustainability and inclusion,” said VCET CEO Natalie O’Brien AM.
“As we look ahead to the opening of Nyaal Banyul, we’re excited to continue delivering exceptional experiences for our customers while leading positive change across our industry.”
