Destination of the month: Adelaide

There’s so much more to Adelaide than the monikers ‘boutique city’ or ‘city in a park’ suggest.

The South Australia capital is certainly less frenetic than Sydney or Melbourne but, looking beyond its wide leafy boulevards and vibrant cultural scene, you find a powerhouse of industry, innovation and research which helps shape its business event strategies.

Business Events Adelaide (BEAdelaide) CEO Damien Kitto says the city’s diverse, safe and walkable. “Everything is close at hand, meaning that delegates can maximise their time on the ground to make more meaningful connections. Just 15 minutes separate the CBD and the airport and luxury hotels start only metres from Adelaide Convention Centre (ACC). Our innovation districts and universities are within walking distance and a free electric tram traverses the city.

“The feeling of connectivity extends to our Team Adelaide approach to business events, with a strong alignment between suppliers and with the State Government,” he continues. “We have global content, industries and leaders with much to share with international associations.”

Among the most prominent sectors are the health and medical industries which form a cluster in BioMed City. Then there is the space and innovation hub in Lot Fourteen, with over 100 space organisations and the Australian Space Agency at its heart, which is attracting global attention and investment, creating jobs and revitalising the east end of the city.

Eighty per cent of the country’s premium wine is produced in South Australia and the largest agricultural research project in the southern hemisphere, the Waite Campus, is home to many research staff from the University of Adelaide School of Agriculture, Food and Wine.

South Australia is also a world leader in energy, renewables and sustainability and holds a significant proportion of Australia’s total defence-material spend.

In addition, the merger in 2026 of the two biggest universities, University of Adelaide and UniSA, will create Adelaide University, a mega new research institution within the city’s key innovation district.

The success of business events in Adelaide is measured by the number of research collaborations, partnerships, new company start-ups and even migration that have resulted from them.

BEAdelaide has recently expanded its international business development team, recognising there are significant opportunities for growth. “Future-proofing our international business development and research efforts will help us make the most of these opportunities,” says Kitto.

The Asia Pacific region is close enough to provide a ready market for Australia but the Adelaide research team is constantly checking for associations based in the northern hemisphere that might suit the city from a strategic perspective. BEAdelaide and ACC are represented regularly at IMEX in Frankfurt and Las Vegas and the informal network of ambassadors who advocate on Adelaide’s behalf is about to be formalised into a Global Leaders network.

WIPCE 2022 Adelaide Convention Centre

BioMed city

One Nation

Adelaide map

"We have global content, industries and leaders with much to share with international associations ..."

d'Arenberg winery cube

The Asia Pacific region is close enough to provide a ready market for Australia but the Adelaide research team is constantly checking for associations based in the northern hemisphere that might suit the city from a strategic perspective. BEAdelaide and ACC are represented regularly at IMEX in Frankfurt and Las Vegas and the informal network of ambassadors who advocate on Adelaide’s behalf is about to be formalised into a Global Leaders network.

The focal point of the city for business events is the convention centre on the banks of the River Torrens. It sits at the heart of the Riverbank precinct where events, entertainment, sporting and business zones connect and leads directly to the new Festival Plaza.

Comprising three integrated buildings totalling 20,000 sqm, ACC’s flexible design means it can deliver several events of varying sizes simultaneously while ensuring total privacy.

Its research and sales teams work in close partnership with BEAdelaide to attract major events that align with South Australia’s priority sectors. It helps facilitate connections to these various hubs for associations not only to provide market-leading delegate experiences but to open doors to leverage legacy and growth opportunities for visiting associations and their related industries.

This joined-up approach produces a variety of significant bid wins, such as the World Potato Congress last June and Asia-Pacific International Symposium on Aerospace Technology in October, and Seagriculture Asia Pacific and the 26^th Annual IPOS (International Psycho-Oncology Society) World Congress coming up next year, all held in the ACC.

ACC regularly surveys its clients to understand what is most important to them. This has led to the establishment of its four key pillars: wellness (including more use of outdoor spaces and serving locally produced food), connection to country (sharing Australia’s First Nations culture), legacy and impact (creating opportunities to benefit local communities and industry) and sustainability.

Last year, the venue became the world’s first convention centre to achieve EarthCheck Master certification. This year it launched its first dedicated ESG (environmental, social and governance) strategy, The Green Print, a four-year plan mapping its path to a more sustainable future through minimising its environmental footprint and maximising its positive impact on communities.

Martin Radcliffe, CEO of Adelaide Venue Management which operates ACC, says, “We’re committed to raising the bar when it comes to all things ESG. The Green Print prioritises areas of most importance to our clients, team and the industry at large, while supporting Adelaide’s reputation as a green events destination and creating tangible solutions for our clients and guests to support a better tomorrow.”

The city is a recent member of the Global Sustainability Index and Damien Kitto adds, “Our goal is to gain an understanding of how we can work as a destination to further develop sustainability strategies. Ultimately, we believe it is realistic for Adelaide to be in the top 40 sustainable destinations globally.”

The River Torrens

Internationl Baccalaureate Global Conference 2023

Getting there

Domestically, multiple daily services operate between all Australia’s state capitals and with New Zealand. Internationally, there are daily services from Adelaide to Asia via Singapore and to Europe via Doha or Dubai. Direct flights to Guangzhou, China, resume next month.

Where to stay

Marriott, Sofitel, Adelaide Oval and Eos by SkyCity are all new additions to the city’s luxury hotel range, joining the InterContinental, Playford MGallery and Hilton Hotel.

Post congress

Cleland Wildlife Park, just 30 minutes’ drive away, provides opportunities to hold koalas and feed kangaroos in a natural environment.

With three world-class wine regions on its doorstep, over 200 cellar door experiences are within an hour’s drive of Adelaide, including world-famous brands such as Penfolds, Jacobs Creek and Wolf Blass.

Kangaroo Island and Port Lincoln, Australia’s seafood capital, are both easily accessible day trips.

Contact
Mark Phelps
Director International Bidding
Business Events Adelaide
T: +61 436 030 969
E: [email protected]
businesseventsadelaide.com.au

Cleland Wildlife Park

Wine Tasting