VTIC and Melbourne CEC give new support to events sector as it rediscovers its mojo

Australia’s Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) and Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) have built a new industry partnership to support the tourism and business events sector, and its role in attracting national and international visitors to the state. Felicia Mariani, CEO of VTIC, said the council was “pleased to partner with MCEC” and looked forward to working together to support the return and growth of events and tourism in the state. Natalie O’Brien AM, recently appointed CEO of MCEC, said the partnership with VTIC offered a great platform to share knowledge, experience and a strategic approach to supporting tourism and events. “Business events make a huge contribution to the Australian tourism sector, sometimes overlooked. Nationally, business events contribute around AU$36bn (US$25.4bn) to Australia’s economy. Pre-pandemic, MCEC alone contributed more than AU$1bn to the Victorian economy, and we’re well on our way to that same level of impact,” O’Brien said. An important aspect of the partnership is MCEC’s support in delivering VTIC’s Vision Summit 2023. Vision Summit 2023, to be held at MCEC on 2 March 2023, will explore critical shifts in the tourism and events sector try to determine how to maximise every opportunity on the horizon. “Without a doubt, our industry in Victoria has rediscovered its mojo – Vision Summit 2023 will consider what Victoria can do to ensure we stay ahead of the pack in our resurgence to global positioning as a destination of choice in Australia,” said Mariani. Tourism Australia, a major partner alongside MCEC of the Vision Summit 2023, will update the industry on data and insights relating to industry recovery, while Visit Victoria will outline how these trends will impact Victoria’s strategies and initiatives.