bidding occurring out to 2029 .
May 2023 is shaping up to be a busy month with 15 events scheduled to take place across the city including the Rotary International Convention , the Global Entrepreneurship Congress and SpineWeek . Across the month close to 30,000 delegates are expected at these events alone .
Botanic Gardens
The Rotary International Convention is the most valuable conference ever won for Victoria and is expected to attract 17,000 Rotary members from 200 countries and regions .
And it will be the first time the annual Global Entrepreneurship Congress will be held in Australia . This May gathering – always hosted in entrepreneurial global cities – will bring together entrepreneurs , investors , ecosystem builders and policymakers to identify new ways of helping founders start and scale new ventures . It will provide a significant platform for Melbourne ’ s most innovative minds to share the secrets to their success on the global stage . Almost a third ( 30 %) of Australia ’ s top 100 young entrepreneurs hail from Melbourne .
National events also play a significant role in calendar as the city looks to cater to the backlog of meetings that couldn ’ t be held over the two-year Covid-induced hiatus . That will mean increased competition as destinations proactively claw back their piece of the business events pie . “ It ’ s a good problem to manage ,” says Swanson . “ Where there is competition there is
opportunity and innovation .” So , what have the main challenges been this year ? “ Many clients have pressure on their budgets ,” notes Swanson , “ so we ’ ve worked closely with organisers to find solutions that deliver them maximum value . However , for the best part , international business events visitors are more confident to travel in a post-Covid world .
“ We ’ ve seen a lot of interest out of the Asia Pacific corporate , meetings and incentives ( CMI ) market boosting our hotel and accommodation sector ."
Swanson admits there is still some volatility in Asia , with countries at different stages of re-opening . “ Aviation access can change rapidly ,” she notes , “ so we ’ ve been adjusting our strategy to proactively focus on markets that are re-opening quickly , such as South East Asia and India .
With new services between Delhi and Melbourne , arrivals from India are growing and Melbourne welcomed a number of event planners from India at the blockbuster International Cricket Council ( ICC ) Men ’ s T20 World Cup Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground ( MCG ). The MCG is a key driver of visitation for this market .
MCB ’ s integration into Visit Victoria , Swanson believes , now gives it an edge over local and international competitors in accessing major events and generating opportunities for incentive groups that are new and immersive .
MCG is really popular with visitors from India
Covid induced changes To the question of how Covid has changed business , Swanson says the long-term nature of events business has meant Melbourne has continued to bid for and win events , yet lead times are shorter .
“ We ’ ve undergone digital transformation which was already under way prior to Covid but really amplified during the pandemic ,” she adds .
“ In-person events are by far the norm , yet there are some who are still incorporating a hybrid element into their programme . This is where optimisation of meeting design really comes to the forefront . The focus has shifted with organisations thinking through the commercial realities of multi-channel meetings .” Optimal meeting design and programme development that drives attendance is key , catering to both in-person and virtual attendees , is the bureau ’ s view , noting that in-person attendance is up , by an average of 16 %.
The MCB also reports planners increasingly include environmental credentials in their request for proposal and seek assistance from the bureau and the supply chain to minimise their impact .
Many international associations want to host events in line with recognised sustainability standards and MCB has developed tools and resources to improve the sustainability , inclusivity and accessibility of their operations .
“ Through our Social Outcomes Strategy , we encourage event owners to incorporate specialised legacy concepts focused on delivering wider social and economic outcomes when hosting their events in Melbourne ,” says Swanson . “ This includes capturing information on sustainability initiatives , programmes and actions for clients ’ events in Melbourne as part of their sponsorship agreements .