Brisbane wins bid to host major Population Conference in 2025

Brisbane, Australia, has won the bid to host the International Population Conference in 2025 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (BCEC). The conference will mark the first time in the event’s 93-year history that it has been held in Australia. The quadrennial event, organised by the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP), is expected to bring more than 2,000 global experts to Brisbane. The six-day conference is expected to deliver A$7.2m (US$5.2m) in direct economic spend for the state of Queensland. The team at the BCEC partnered with the Australian Population Association, host organisation for the conference, together with Tourism and Events Queensland, Tourism Australia and the Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA) to secure the event. Bob O’Keeffe, general manager of the BCEC, said: “A return to business events is vital for the Queensland economy and as we navigate a more positive post-pandemic landscape this major win for Brisbane represents an appetite for face-to-face meetings to return in strength.” The conference is supported by three levels of government, recognition of the important contribution of population science in helping government and society better prepare for global and regional population issues, particularly at this time of increasing domestic migration. Stirling Hinchliffe, tourism minister of Queensland, stated: “Migration has helped deliver the economic opportunity and growth that continues to transform 21st Century Queensland. It’s what makes Queensland’s capital the ideal destination for the 2025 International Population Conference.” Adrian Schrinner, lord mayor of Brisbane, added: “During the pandemic, Brisbane has become the country’s biggest magnet for millennials aged 25-44 years old, which will have significant impacts on our city’s social, economic, and environmental future. With that demographic shift comes enormous opportunity, from greater talent attraction to grow our innovation-led economy to preparing the city for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”