Strong return of business puts pressure on space at Gold Coast CEC
CMW asked the team at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre ( GCCEC ) whether events were firmly back and how the venue ’ s business post-Covid compares to 2019 .
ovid had a significant impact in FY22 at Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre ( GCCEC ). However , the team , led by GM Adrienne Readings , had expected that but was not expecting the strength with which business events returned . The last four months of the year accounted for 75 % of annual revenue . FY22 could not be compared to the ‘ normal ’ trading conditions of FY19 , but the final four months represented around a 40 % increase on the corresponding months in FY19 , quite a rebound .
Outlook for 2023 Enquiries , the GCCEC team reports , are up with new corporates , both nationally and internationally , looking to come to the Gold Coast . Delegate numbers are strong , showing the desire to get back to face to face meetings . Overall , FY23 is on track to break records , with little space available right into 2024 . The GCCEC is also well overdue for expansion and could clearly add to its economic impact for the region . Despite a strong return of business events , the team says it has experienced multiple challenges : Firstly , finding staff across all areas of the business has been a huge task and is ongoing . “ Skilled staff have been hard to find and the pay levels have increased dramatically . Even the labour agencies we use are stretched , making event delivery challenging in some cases ,” says Readings .
Secondly , Rising costs , including of labour , food and power , have put significant pressure on the business , while supply chain disruptions have left GCCEC at times vulnerable to equipment shortages . With bookings and enquiries being strong , there has been pressure on space , resulting in the venue having to turn away business to ensure quality is maintained . In terms of support for the local industry , the Queensland Government has created a AUD $ 7m programme dedicated to attracting national business events to the state ’ s three convention centres ( events have to be held before June 2026 ). International events at GCCEC in 2023 will be a mix of conferences , gala dinners , incentives , exhibitions , and some local business . The Australian Tourism Exchange ( ATE ) comes in April / May and in terms of key sectors of importance to the city and venue , health , medical , retail and education lead the list . The GCCEC sales team works closely with Destination Gold Coast , the City of Gold Coast , and Tourism and Events Queensland to ensure maximum support for attracting events . “ Having been in business since 2004 , we have a wide knowledge and network available to tap into ,” Readings adds . The GCCEC also sees itself as an industry leader in environmental innovation . In 2018 , GCCEC became ‘ EarthCheck Platinum ’ certified and is now working towards achieving
Master status . Sustainable practices continue to be front of mind for the team , as it is for clients increasingly , and the venue offers a Green Event Guide to clients as well as onsite advice on how to create a sustainable event . More initiatives are planned in the New Year .