BCEC confirms 51 new conferences for Q1 2018

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) has set a cracking pace for the first quarter of the Financial Year confirming a record 51 new conferences for Brisbane and Queensland in the key sectors of health, research and science, education and technology. Affirming Brisbane’s strong delegate appeal for both national and international conferences, more than 20,000 delegates from around Australia and across the globe will deliver some 55,000 room nights for Brisbane hotels, generating an additional $30m in economic benefit as a result of the efforts of the Centre’s conventions team over the past three months. BCEC reported a 32.3% increase in the number of national conferences confirmed for Brisbane compared to the same period last year. Queensland Tourism and major events minister Kate Jones said the success of the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre had a great impact on tourism in the city. “Business tourism is a major growth area for Queensland and Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre has been an important part of that success,” she said. “The Convention Centre is to be commended for its great work in luring to Brisbane some of the world’s foremost experts across a broad range of fields. This industry has boomed under the Palaszczuk Government and if re-elected, we will deliver $134 million in funding for Queensland tourism with an eye to building on the state’s share in the business tourism market.” This latest result follows a strong end of Financial Year performance by BCEC in collaboration with the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland and supported by Brisbane Marketing which saw the Centre confirming $197.6m worth of new conference business for Brisbane and Queensland. Some of the world’s leading experts in cardiovascular genetics, radiosurgery, immunotherapy, neuroscience, prostate cancer, health care management, mining and education are among those who will head to Brisbane and Queensland as a result of the 195 strong line-up of conference wins by BCEC and its convention partners over the past 15 months. BCEC general manager, Bob O’Keeffe said the Centre’s long term partnerships and close collaboration with Brisbane’s research, scientific and business communities through its highly successful Convention Advocates Partnership play a significant factor in attracting these high calibre scientific meetings to Brisbane. “The economic, knowledge sharing and investment and tourism benefits of hosting such events represent enormous value to our city and the state well into the future.” Mr O’Keeffe said he was confident the increased growth in conventions would continue with a united and motivated Brisbane approach and the support of the State Government. BCEC is holding 1,327 forward bookings of which 411 are conventions – a 15% increase in numbers over the same period last year.