AUSTRALIA - The Business Events Council of Australia (BECA), ahead of Australia’s federal election next month, has called for any incoming government to spend AU$10m (US$8.9m) a year to boost the country’s position as a global events destination.
BECA chairman Geoff Donaghy pointed out Australia’s ranking as a business events destination has slipped from fourth to 16th in less than a decade because of lack of investment and increasing global competition.
“We are struggling to compete with our Asian neighbours for important conferences, fairs and exhibitions that generate globally US$175bn a year in straight dollar terms and much more in knowledge exchange, network building and ideas generation,” he said.
BECA has prepared a review of the Australian business events market for key politicians in the lead-up to the election. The document calls for a collaborative approach by industry and government to reverse the slide.
“This election is all about moving forward, but we are in an industry that if you are standing still you are going backwards, and we need to turn that around,” said Donaghy.
BECA believes a National Business Events Fund would help win bids and maximise delegate attendance at conferences coming to Australia. BECA adds that 116,000 direct jobs and AU$17.3bn in revenue are generated by the events industry.
