The Australian government has stumped up AUD2m to get a
clearer picture of how meetings and business events contribute to the country’s
wider visitor economy.
While acknowledging that business events add roughly AUD36bn
in expenditure to the economy, the government wants a more detailed breakdown
of that figure.
To this end, it is making its largest investment in business
events research to date.
The research will measure business events data in
international and national data sets, including bespoke data collection
activities and is being rolled out in two phases:
- Phase 1: Tourism Research Australia, has
introduced a new suite of questions to the National and International Visitor
Surveys. These questions have been in operation since January 2023, and are
already collecting data.
- Phase 2: Working closely with the Business
Events Council of Australia (BECA), bespoke data collection points including
venues, organisers, delegates, and exhibitors will be rolled out across the
nation.
The new data will help the government decide what kind of
events to target. It will also help the broader visitor economy understand how
it can best benefit from business event travellers and increase the chance that
international business event visitors will return to Australia for holidays.
Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell said: “The new
business events data project is a critical part of the government’s support for
the recovery of Australia’s business events sector. Better data means better decisions, better
decisions mean better events, and better events mean a bigger boost for
Australia’s visitor economy.”
BECA chair Dr Leo Jago added: “The partnership between
Tourism Research Australia and the industry in this project will ensure that
the correct data are being collected in a manner credible to all levels of
government. To ensure the success of the project to estimate the economic value
of business events, it is essential that industry participates and provides the
necessary data in a timely fashion.”
Written By
James Lancaster
AMI editor James
Lancaster is a familiar face in the meetings industry and international
association community. Since joining AMI in 2010, he has gained a reputation
for asking difficult questions and getting lost in convention centres. Proofer, podcaster, and panellist - in his spare time, James likes to walk,
read, listen to music, and drink beer.
