The Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) has secured 48 medical conferences to take place within the next five years.
These medical conferences are expected to attract 38,000 delegates to the city, and provide an injection of AU$225 million to Victoria’s local economy.
MCB chief executive Julia Swanson said, “Melbourne’s global reputation as a powerhouse in medical research and innovation, combined with the Victorian Government’s investment in developing Melbourne’s innovative medical precincts, has contributed to the city’s success as a top global destination for hosting conferences in the medical and healthcare sector.
“Excellent infrastructure and joint collaborations between universities, research institutes and hospitals have created a city where the world’s brightest minds gather to inspire, innovate and create real change in world-leading research and development.”
Melbourne has a large life science sector, with 40 per cent of Australia’s funding for medical research based in Melbourne, the highest proportion of people employed in the life sciences sector in Victoria, and the highest number of biotherapeutic companies in Australia.
The commercial medical technologies and pharmaceuticals sector in Victoria generates more than AU$12.7b in revenue, and the state's life science sector is worth more than AU$35b.
The upcoming Spine Intervention Society’s quadrennial SpineWeek in May is one of the 48 medical conferences coming to Melbourne and is expected to attract 2,250 international delegates.
In July, the International Congress of Genetics is expected to attract 3,000 delegates and deliver more than AU$26.6m to the local economy.
“Medical conferences provide opportunities for investment, collaboration and knowledge-sharing, which can lead to significant breakthroughs in medical research and advancements in the healthcare sector,” added Swanson.
The Victorian Government is investing in major infrastructure including the Melbourne Biomedical Precinct and the AU$206m Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery — Australia’s first collaborative, hospital-based biomedical engineering research centre set for completion in late 2024.
A desire to travel led Holly Patrick to the business meetings and events world and she’s never looked back. Holly takes a particular interest in event sustainability and creating a diverse and inclusive industry. When she’s not working, she can be found rolling skating along Brighton seafront listening to an eclectic playlist, featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Sean Paul, and Arooj Aftab.
