For Australia’s successive original settlers—from the indigenous Aboriginals to the first convict arrivals into Port Jackson in 1788 (discovered by British explorer James Cook in 1770, and today, Sydney Harbour), and the pioneers, prospectors and immigrants that followed—life was no cup of tea. Mastering their homeland took grit and determination, which have gone far in investing the modern Australian personality with signature traits, including dry humor and the long-horizon view.
While embracing their legacy as outcasts, the denizens of the world’s sixth-largest (by landmass) country are no sleepy-eyed koalas when it comes to going “flat-out like lizards drinking” (working hard) on innovation and progress. It’s an ethos signified by the national coat of arms’ red kangaroo and emu—two animals typically always going forward.
Advancement defines the evolution of Australia’s business events market, the catchall term for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions.
In a 2009 report, lead trade body Business Events Council of Australia (BECA) called business events, in development since the 1970s, “the seams of gold that run through Australian tourism.” That’s an apt echo of the mid-19th century gold rush that propelled the young nation into prosperity, as all major centers, from Sydney and Melbourne to Tasmania and the Top End, gild their already competitive, mature MICE infrastructure, capabilities and services.
“After four decades of significant growth, development and rise through the international convention, incentives and exhibition rankings and awards, Australia’s MICE industry has come of age,” says Sandra Chipchase, an industry leader now serving as CEO of Destination NSW (New South Wales). “Our doors to the world are open to business—Australia is unlimited.”
There is no place on Earth like this inexhaustibly sublime island-continent, equal in size to the continental U.S. but populated by only 23 million people. From the Technicolor sunshine to the dazzling flora and fauna to Aboriginal “Dreamtime” culture, expect differences and singularities galore—the discoveries are as surprising as they are rewarding.
Yet, much will be comfortably, culturally familiar to American and Canadian delegates. Valorously forged in World War I and every major engagement since, our foremost bond with the Aussies is shoulder-to-shoulder as allies.
Four Australian cities—Melbourne at No. 1, followed by Sydney (sixth), Perth (eighth) and Adelaide (ninth)—dominated the Economist Intelligence Unit’s global Liveability Index in 2011.
To paraphrase British writer Douglas Adams, Australia is the proverbial green grass on the other side of the fence. This is the “lucky country” of Oz, where “no worries” is the unshakeable modus operandi.
Come say “G’day” to the many upsides of convening Down Under.
Powerful Propositions
Feisty sibling rivals Sydney and Melbourne are jostling anew for Australia’s MICE crown, as each city bolsters already confirmed places on the world meetings stage.
Design and engineering feats still, Sydney’s Opera House and Harbour Bridge are national signatures that have drawn millions of visitors to this ever-evolving metropolis. An urban masterpiece painted along the shores of its fjord-like harbor, Sydney is Australia’s primary gateway, receiving around 40 percent of all international flights. Clear customs and it’s a quick highway ride from the airport into the CBD (Central Business District).
Mixing historic sandstone buildings, gleaming skyscrapers and regal parks, Australia’s oldest and largest city, with 32,500 hotel rooms and serviced apartments, is readying for a milestone MICE investment. Between late 2013 and late 2016, the award-winning Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre is slated to close to make way for Australia’s first fully integrated convention, exhibition and entertainment precinct.
the $1 billion-plus Darling Harbour project will produce the nation’s largest expo, meeting room and convention spaces. During construction, other leading venues, including Olympic Park, the Australian Technology Park and premier group hotels such as the Shangri-La and Four Seasons, will offer expanded service.
“The change this development presents is a great opportunity,” says Lyn Lewis-Smith, CEO of Business Events Sydney. “It’s time to show how Sydney businesses collaborate and innovate, and how we can accommodate a growing business event sector with agility and enthusiasm.”
With its economic output valued at around $102.5 billion, globally linked Sydney, Australia’s financial hub, offers planners the “whole-city” deal.
“With world-class infrastructure, a strong business environment and spectacular events and activities, Sydney is truly the complete package,” Lewis-Smith says.
Meanwhile, the rave reviews keep coming for artful Melbourne, rated the world’s most liveable city in 2011. Set on the shores of picturesque Port Phillip Bay, Victoria’s capital and mainland Australia’s southernmost city is rich in aesthetics, with immaculate parks and gardens, public art, classical buildings and innovative design.
In its latest rankings, ICCA named Melbourne No. 1 in Australia for conferences and congresses. Hosting 62 major international meetings during the qualifying period, Melbourne led all Australian cities at No. 31 in the world, up nine places from 2010, while placing ninth in the Asia-Pacific region.
“To be ranked ahead of our biggest competition in Australia, namely Sydney and Brisbane, indicates the outstanding nature of the city’s facilities and overall international appeal,” says Karen Bolinger, CEO of the Melbourne CVB (MCVB).
Established four decades ago, the MCVB has had U.S.-based representation for the past 14 years via its New York office. Launched at IMEX this May, the bureau’s 2012/2013 Strategic Business Plan includes ambitions to accelerate association business from North America. With three recent U.S. conference wins alone expected to generate more than $51 million in economic impact, the plan is clearly on track.
Also unveiled at IMEX was Melbourne IQ: The Intelligent Choice for Conferences, promoting knowledge-centric Melbourne and Victoria as powerhouse intellectual capitals. To wit: Over the next two years, Melbourne will host seven of the world’s largest medical and scientific conferences.
Opened in 2009, the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) is the world’s only 6-Star Green Star-rated convention facility, and leads a concentration of centrally located meeting venues. Located on the Yarra River just 20 minutes from Melbourne Airport, the venue’s other distinctions include award-winning food and wine service, and firsts like MConnect, an app providing delegates with live event-specific content. Over 5,400 rooms are within walking distance of the MCEC, with 26,500 rooms city-wide.
Integrated with the Hilton South Wharf, the MCEC is close to Melbourne’s key attractions, including the event-ready Melbourne Cricket Ground, one of the world’s great sporting arenas. Other draws include Eureka Tower and the Queen Victoria Market, along with award-winning restaurants, cafes and bars. In Federation Square, the striking Australian Center for the Moving Image is a cultural hub with flexible event space.
Complete Solutions
With direct service from Los Angeles, subtropical Brisbane, Queensland’s capital and Australia’s third most populous city, is in dynamic development mode.
Opened in January 2012, the approximately $143 million expansion of the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (BCEC) created 52 percent more convention space, allowing the venue to host up to 8,000 delegates in 44 meeting rooms and three stand-alone tiered auditoriums. Since the five-level expansion opened, it has hosted hundreds of site inspections, with more than 300 future events now booked and inquiries coming at the rate of 30 to 35 per week, the BCEC reports.
As Australia’s most honored convention venue, BCEC has garnered over 120 major industry awards to date, with over 50 recognitions for its catering and thrice ranked among the world’s top three convention centers.
“As Australia’s new world city—dynamic, down to earth and forward thinking—Brisbane offers a compelling events proposition,” says Annabel Sullivan, director of the Brisbane Marketing Convention Bureau. “Thanks to the delivery of new world-class developments, improved facilities and key infrastructure projects, Brisbane’s business events products and services are continually growing.”
Other catalysts include the roughly $60 million Royal International Convention Centre, part of the RNA Showgrounds’ roughly $3.02 billion Regeneration Project and the only new convention center currently under construction in Australia.
Attractions include the 180-foot-tall Wheel of Brisbane, CityCat boat tours on the Brisbane River, the Brisbane Botanic Gardens and the popular beaches of the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. Fortitude Valley is a culinary and cultural hot spot, approximately a half-mile from the CBD.
Equidistant from Sydney and Melbourne, the nation’s capital of Canberra takes its name from Kamberra, Aboriginal for “meeting place.” Nestled within expansive parkland, the city celebrates its centenary in 2013.
Home to renowned universities and research institutes, Canberra routinely hosts international conferences in medical research, climate change and other fields. President Obama commemorated the 60th anniversary of the Australia-U.S. treaty here in 2011. Canberra has recently welcomed corporate and educational groups from California, Utah and Kansas.
“Canberra brings culture, knowledge and influence to any event,” says Robyn Hendry, CEO of the Canberra Convention Bureau. “We encourage great minds to join Canberra’s own remarkable intellectual capacity to form new partnerships, exchange ideas and culture, and advance the knowledge economy.”
Canberra’s Parliament House is among the few government buildings in the world open for events. Delegates can also dine with top athletes at the Australian Institute of Sport, socialize under the wings of the Lancaster Bomber at the Australian War Memorial, and gather at the National Portrait Gallery, private after-hour tours included.
Situated some 800 miles west of Canberra in South Australia, the “Thinking City” of Adelaide, circled by parklands, is a highly ranked business travel destination for its world-class facilities, commitment to sustainability, value and safety. Also marketed as the “20-Minute City” for its ease of access and mobility, Adelaide pledges tailor-made event solutions that “don’t just go the extra mile, but take you there.”
“Our collaborative, unified team approach comes with the personal touch,” says Damien Kitto, CEO of the Adelaide Convention Bureau. “Events can get lost in big cities, but in Adelaide they shine, as conventioneers can have the run of the town.”
With its celebrated food and wine scene, Mediterranean climate and ready access to wildlife, Adelaide, the southern gateway to the Outback, is also an incentive draw.
With a diversified economy that includes mining, defense and a growing educational and research base across a number of disciplines, some 40 percent of Adelaide’s bookings are for international conventions and conferences.
Part of a sweeping redevelopment of the city’s panoramic, multi-venue Riverbank Precinct, a two-stage expansion of the Adelaide Convention Centre, due for completion in 2014 and 2017, respectively, will boost capacity to 3,000-plus delegates. Another event-enhancing investment is the approximately $61.4 million update, due for completion in 2014, of the Adelaide Oval, hallowed home of cricket, Australian Rules Football and other sports since 1871.
Just 30 minutes south of the city, the Barossa Valley, settled in 1842 by German immigrants, is one of Australia’s leading wine-producing areas.
In 1962, all of Perth was aglow to greet American astronaut John Glenn as he passed overhead. Founded in 1829 along the Swan River, the City of Light may be the most remote major city on Earth, but Western Australia’s capital is both an economic powerhouse and an illuminating MICE destination.
“Western Australia is a great choice for planners from across the globe due to the state’s amazing diversity, Mediterranean climate and fresh perspective, with plenty of open space for delegates to think, breathe and connect,” says Tracey Cinavas-Prosser, director of membership and public relations for the Perth Convention Bureau.
With an array of venues accommodating up to 5,000 delegates, Perth is actively growing, with the long-awaited 15,000-seat Perth Arena set to open and roughly $2.7 billion going into the multifaceted Perth Waterfront Development. These and other investments are well justified in capital-intensive Western Australia, where medicine, natural resources and finance are among several high-yield sectors attracting U.S. groups.
“With current sales figures supporting forecasts of a bumper year, the bureau is well on track to achieve its biggest ever target of [approximately $103.5 million] this current financial year,” says Paul Beeson, CEO of the Perth Convention Bureau.
Located in Perth’s legendary King’s Park, Fraser Restaurant’s new roughly $9.2 million reception center can accommodate 700 people for cocktails and 450 for a seated dinner.
Leading Edges
Enticingly remote and exotic, the Northern Territory, tropical Northern Queensland and the island state of Tasmania are bucket list draws fully equipped for groups.
Covering more than 840,000 square miles, the Northern Territory (NT) comprises two main regions. At the nation’s northernmost tip, the tropical “Top End” includes the capital of Darwin, plus World Heritage-listed Kakadu, Australia’s largest national park. Farther south, Central Australia is home to iconic Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Alice Springs, square in Australia’s heart (see “Never-Never Lands” sidebar).
The region’s once-in-a-lifetime appeal frequently draws record attendance at area events—especially from long-haul markets.
“We believe that the Northern Territory offers a truly unique Australian experience,” says Scott Lovett, director of the Northern Territory Convention Bureau. “There is nowhere else in Australia that combines such amazing Outback and wilderness experiences and includes a vibrant cosmopolitan city of 100,000 residents representing more than 50 nationalities.”
A major World War II staging area, Darwin today is home to a U.S. Marine training base, a new strategic role expected to attract increased military and civilian meetings.
Since the Darwin Convention Centre opened in 2008, there has been a 22 percent increase in events across a range of venues, with over 40 significant conferences so far in 2012. Representing a 44 percent lift for fiscal 2011, approximately 29,000 U.S. visitors came to the Northern Territory, mainly for incentives.
As the principal group center in Queensland’s tropical north, Cairns is the gateway to two World Heritage icons, the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics rainforest. An all-natural choice for incentives and team-building events, this modern coastal city is also fully equipped for business events.
Led by the award-winning Cairns Convention Centre, Cairns can host up to 5,000 delegates. Additionally, more than a dozen city hotels and resorts with conference facilities offer a range of venues for groups of up to 600.
Cairns Convention Centre is currently working with several North American-based international associations that are considering Cairns for future conventions.
“Like their European counterparts, U.S.-based international associations recognize that the fast-growing Asia-Pacific region offers great opportunities to increase their membership base,” says Ross Steele, general manager of the Cairns Convention Centre. “With our close proximity to Asia and direct international airline access, Cairns in Australia’s north is ideally placed to capture this market.”
From strolling the Esplanade boardwalk to dining in the century-old Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal, groups have activities galore in Cairns. The region’s major drawcard, though, is the hundreds of daily reef and rainforest tours departing the city and the coastal village of Port Douglas, an hour to the north. Here, Four Mile Beach is a heavenly stage for functions. Farther north, the ancient Daintree rainforest and Cape Tribulation provide fantasy outdoor retreats. Closer to Cairns, Palm Cove offers luxurious resorts and spas, long sandy beaches and exquisite wildlife retreats.
Boasting ancient mountains and one-fifth covered by national parks and World Heritage areas, Tasmania, about an hour by air from Melbourne and under two from Sydney, is truly a “treasure island.” Its rapturous geology reflecting Australia’s prehistoric connection with Antarctica, this island state 150 miles off Australia’s southeastern tip is an incentive and corporate planner’s dream, with award-winning group assets and services.
Founded in 1803 as a penal colony, Hobart, Australia’s second-oldest capital city behind Sydney, scenically combines heritage charm with cultural diversity. Opened in January 2011, the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) has put the city on the world cultural map. One of the largest museums in the Southern Hemisphere, its provocative collection is displayed in a striking maze of labyrinthine galleries.
Luxury properties like Hobart’s waterfront Henry Jones Art Hotel, located in a former jam factory, and the spaceship-shaped Saffire Freycinet resort are stark contrasts to the Port Arthur Historic Site, Australia’s most intact convict settlement and one of Tasmania’s five World Heritage Convict Sites. Arresting, too, are activities like “Wineglass to Wine Glass,” combining hiking with five-star dining on the beach in heavenly Wineglass Bay.
“Tasmania is large enough to host a conference of 1,100, but small enough to make every delegate feel like a welcomed guest,” says Stuart Nettlefold, CEO of Business Events Tasmania. “Delegates rate Tasmania highly because of the friendliness of the locals, quality food and wine experiences, event organization and event facilities.”
Regular Meetings Focus contributor Jeff Heilman traveled to the Whitsunday Islands in Queensland and to Sydney as part of this assignment, with everlasting thanks to Tourism Australia, ID Events Australia, Virgin Australia and partners for the FAM-tastic experience.
