ADNEC Group CEO, Simon Horgan:
“Successful exhibition and convention centres are economic engines for the host city, supporting thousands of jobs, stimulating commerce and driving up peripheral property values.
Traditionally, government and local authority involvement has remained at the hardware level, ensuring that the facilities are in place. Abu Dhabi’s leadership is taking a more innovative approach. In addition to developing some of the world’s leading facilities, the Abu Dhabi government offers much support to international organisers. In particular, the Advantage Abu Dhabi programme is aligned to the long-term growth plans for the emirate, through financial grants, government endorsements, leadership patronage, cost rebates and marketing support.
The events which will thrive most in Abu Dhabi are those in the industries highlighted in the Abu Dhabi 2030 Vision programme, such as renewable energy, metals, aviation, finance and telecommunications.“
Cape Town International Convention Centre MD Dirk Elzinga:
“The 46 international conferences that took place in 2007 at the CTICC made it possible for the convention centre to create 3,800 direct and 5,300 indirect jobs in Cape Town and the Western Cape. The centre contributed no less than 2.4 billion rand (€250m) to the South African GDP.
The CTICC has, since it opened in 2003, trained more than 1,500 temporary employees, and some 79 per cent of these have gone on to find positions elsewhere, benefiting the wider hospitality industry.
From the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre:
The world’s first ‘six star green star’ environmentally rated Melbourne Convention Centre opened in June. Conference delegates spend five to six times more than the leisure tourist. International conventions also create a catalyst for regional travel, with business events generating substantial export dollars throughout Victoria.
The MCC is anticipated to inject around AUD$200 million a year into Victoria’s economy for the next 25 years. It will create another 2,500 new jobs on top of the almost 1,800 created during construction of the centre and new commercial precinct of inner-city South Wharf. As of September 2009, 52 major international conventions were confirmed for the MCC, bringing 103,000 delegates and injecting millions of dollars into the economy.“
Leipzig Messe director marketing and sales, Ronald Kötteritzsch:
“The major exhibition and convention centres in Germany are owned by public bodies and most trade fair societies in Germany lose money.
There are two main reasons for continuing to pursue this business: one is the impact on the local economy; the other is that the communities use trade fairs and conference centres as strategic tools to promote and develop business and science in their region.
A recent concrete example is Leipzig’s bid to host an international congress on cell diagnostics and therapy in 2012.
The city and the state of Saxony have identified life sciences and biotechnology as an important cluster of strategic development. If this congress comes to Leipzig, local companies (who couldn’t afford to exhibit at a conference in, say, the US) can get international exposure.
Also, when the international market leaders come, they may consider investing in our area. Because of this strategic importance, the Lord Mayor of Leipzig and a senior official of the Saxony government met the delegates during their visit and assured them of every support, should the conference come to Leipzig.
Meetings and conventions in Leipzig bring more than €30 million to the local economy
Research commissioned by the Congress Center Leipzig (CCL) showed participants of conferences at the CCL, on average, spend €350. The largest proportion of this (one third) was spent for hotel accommodation. Each euro generated in turnover in the CCL brings a further €10 to businesses in Leipzig. Furthermore, meetings and conventions in Leipzig secure about 1,000 jobs in Germany, 700 of them in the Leipzig area.
In 2008, major conventions staged at CCL included the Baptist World Youth conference (7,000 participants) and the World Filtration Congress (2,200 participants). Despite the recession, the final figure for 2008 is expected to be somewhat higher than the figure for 2006’s conference business.
CCL is only one unit within the Leipzig Trade Fair Group which owns and organises about 30 trade shows a year. Visitors and exhibitors at those bring more than €400 million to the area annully and secure over 3,500 jobs in the city.“
• Seventy per cent of convention centres are owned by some level of government
• Most major events book far in advance, which means something booked today may not deliver a return for five years or more
