Australia/NZ Supplement March/April 2022 | Page 11

Brisbane

BCEC on point with its pivot

risbane Convention & Exhibition Centre ( BCEC ) was one of the first convention centres in the world to reopen , back in
August 2020 .
The BCEC hosted 571 events in 2021 and a number of hybrid events involving international audiences including the 17th World Congress of the World Association for Infant Mental Health ( WAIMH 2021 ) which included more than 800 virtual attendees from 61 countries and 300 on site .
Organisers claim the international contingent strengthened the Australian Association of Infant Mental Health ( AAIMH ) membership .
BCEC was host of World of Drones and Robotics Congress both in 2020 and 2021- one of the only in-person conferences in the world to continue holding meetings during a pandemic .
The venue team says things are tracking well on the road to recovery , with 636 events currently on the 2022 calendar , including 125 conventions . Client confidence over the next six months is likely to be the main challenge and the ability to travel and to obtain insurance .
“ We have always adopted a partnership approach , adapting to the needs of clients in managing risks for their events . Our flexible contract terms have been key throughout Covid and will continue ,” says Gail Sawyer , BCEC marketing and communications manager . “ We have learned to pivot like ballerinas ,” she adds .
A BCEC Covid Task Force ensures a safe environment for events with the safeguard of the ASM Global VenueShield environmental protocol in place .
Sawyer adds that , when conditions have allowed the BCEC to open for business , it has traded strongly , with June 2021 being the third highest revenue in the Centre ’ s 28-year history .
“ We believe that we should achieve 80 % of pre-Covid revenues for the FY 2022 / 23 ,” says Sawyer .
She adds that a working group including the Technology and Innovation Team is tasked with reviewing all practices and procedures across the business and exploring opportunities across sustainability , technology and innovation , with more emphasis on community engagement activities and celebrating and acknowledging Indigenous culture .
Among conferences heading to the Centre in 2022 are the Social Enterprise World Forum , Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction , International Society for Quality in Health Care ( ISQua ), and Australasian International Breast Congress .
Also returning are OzWater 2022 and the International Tropical Agriculture Conference – TropAg 2022 & Harlan III .
In all , the BCEC team has secured 59 ( international and national ) conferences across key sectors including the International Population Conference 2025 , International Federation of Surveyors Working Week 2025 , as well as others mentioned by BEDA ( see page 8 ).
Food for thought
Award winning BCEC executive chef , David Pugh and Qandamooka chef and Kullilli man , Kieron Anderson are incorporating First Nation ’ s produce into the Centre ’ s menus and its Plaza Gallery is home to one of Australia ’ s most significant collections of Australian Indigenous art .
Early in 2021 , BCEC achieved EarthCheck Platinum certification in recognition of its environmental standards .
With Brisbane the host city for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games , the BCEC will be a venue for a number of Olympic events .