What tactics have you been able to pursue to help event organisers and supplier stakeholders during this crisis ? We have undertaken significant digital transformation of the delivery of our products and services to help international clients , professional event organisers and incentive planners plan future travel to Melbourne .

We have provided alternative options to ensure clients can keep promoting their meetings , particularly as in-person engagement opportunities are limited , as well as having developed virtual site visits , improved digital bid books , delegate boosting kits , destination training presentations , a hybrid events guide and the Safe Events Melbourne microsite providing updates on our products and offerings to inspire future group travel when the time is right .

The launch of our Delegate Destination Site , which builds on the event planning support already provided by MCB , has been well received by conference organisers , supporting them in promoting their future meetings in Melbourne .

In particular , the site ’ s VR and experiential content is easily integrated into planners ’ existing communication channels with direct booking capability , and virtual booth assets like the avatars are proving to be a real hit as demand for virtual and hybrid meetings increases .

What can you say about the turn to digital and how that has helped Melbourne stay in touch with the MICE community internationally ? Digital solutions have truly come into their own during the pandemic . It was a trend that has been accelerated out of necessity . Online events are not a substitute for in-person connections , but rather an opportunity for business event organisers to ensure their events are maximising reach and growing their audience .

From a destination viewpoint , digital events provide for greater reach globally

of the Melbourne brand , building on the captured audience of a live event via content beamed to a broader global audience . This increased awareness is not just a destination ’ s visitor and tourism brand , but our city ’ s business and innovation brand .

How do you now see the route towards the industry ’ s recovery in Australia and Melbourne specifically ? What strategies will you pursue to win back business ? Even prior to the pandemic , safety was high on the consideration set for clients when deciding on a host destination . Melbourne ’ s reputation as a leading business event destination is supported by a list of success factors and safety is among them . This continues to be a number one priority for Victoria and its business events supply chain .

MCB must stay relevant and evolve . Reworking the value chain of what makes business events successful will be key . This means continual innovation and reimagining what events can look like in a Covid-normal environment and leading the way to bring these events to life .

It is going to be a very competitive landscape for destinations . We ’ re

Above : Melbourne Federation Square , the city ’ s meeting place

focussed on supporting our clients from our Melbourne office , as well as through our team located in Washington DC , London , Kuala Lumpur and Shanghai .

What are your goals for Melbourne and its future international success ? Melbourne is a knowledge capital and our relationship with local academics , universities and associations is key for being successful in our bids for international conferences . We plan to deepen these relationships to encourage more and effective local partnerships aligning with Victoria ’ s priority sectors . Achieving meaningful social and economic outcomes from meetings will be more important than ever , and we will create new international collaborations to achieve this .

Melbourne will be ready to welcome visitors safely when international borders reopen .

Lastly , what word of advice would you pass on to someone starting out on a career in business events ? Firstly , congratulations on choosing a great industry ! My advice would be to make the most of all opportunities to broaden your knowledge and build your networks .