News
GLOBAL SNAPSHOT
AUSTRALASIA
Events help deliver record A $ 2.3bn boost for jobs and growth in Brisbane Initiatives to grow Brisbane’ s visitor economy, secure major events and attract new investment delivered a record $ 2.3bn boost to the city’ s economy in 2025-26, and supported more than 18,000 local jobs. The result was driven by the City Council’ s Brisbane Economic Development Agency( BEDA), which reported more than A $ 1.5bn was generated through investment attraction and business growth, including programmes like the MedTech Global Accelerator and Future Food Initiative. International conferences and incentive travel added $ 103m by bringing global delegates into the city.
AMERICAS
CEMA’ s largest Summit registers record-breaking attendance in Toronto The Corporate Event Marketing Association( CEMA), a PCMA subsidiary, closed its 2026 Summit in Toronto, Canada, having staged the largest gathering in the organisation’ s 27-year history. The August Summit marked only the second time in the organisation’ s history that it had been held outside the United States. More than 850 corporate event marketers, strategists, and industry partners gathered at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, for three days of practitioner-led education, global case studies, and conversations under this year’ s theme,‘ Where the World Comes Together’.
AUSTRALASIA
Nyaal Banyul Geelong welcomes 12,000 visitors in first month Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre in Victoria welcomed more than 12,200 attendees across 15 events in its first month of operation. Throughout July, the venue hosted events including Geelong Careers Expo, Barwon Health Foundation Gala Ball, Business Managers Victoria Annual Leadership Conference, Associations Forum National Conference and the Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative NAIDOC Ball. General manager Rick Aylett said the venue had made a strong start and was fast establishing itself as one of the best regional events venues in Australia.“ We’ re thrilled with how well the first month has gone,” said Aylett.
AFRICA
China Ready ® Workshop to return to WTM Africa 2027 The China Ready ® Workshop will return to WTM Africa 2027, offering African tourism stakeholders an opportunity to gain market intelligence needed to tap into one of the world’ s largest outbound travel markets. Presented by Marcus Lee, CEO of China Travel Online and founder of the China Ready ® Programme, the workshop forms part of a three-year development series running alongside WTM Africa to 2028. Set to take place 7 – 9 April 2027 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, WTM Africa 2027 will host Part 2: Marketing and Digital Promotion.
6 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / ISSUE 144