The Business Events Council of Australia (BECA) has welcomed and thanked the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, the Honourable Steven Ciobo MP, for his announcement of Tourism Australia’s Business Events Bid Fund Program, with an investment of $12m across the next 3 years.
Chairman of BECA, Matthew Hingerty said the announcement thrust the Business Events Sector into the heart of Australia’s economic agenda.
He said the $30 billion sector, involving business meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions was an often-overlooked enabler in the national economy.
“Business events are the mechanisms whereby Australians and their international guests meet to swap knowledge, write business and understand each other’s cultures and way of life. They are a powerful force for free trade and international peace and tolerance”.
“It is also the mechanism whereby the benefits of new trade deals are transmitted to the rest of the economy. In 2015/16 business events generated 193,000 jobs in event management, event construction and delivery, transport and logistics and tourism and hospitality.
“This announcement will allow us to target new events aligned to our new growth sectors and trade agreements, and encourage high value delegates, in both terms of their dollar spend and in terms of the knowledge and relationships they will bring to our country”.
“It is our aim that every business visitor to our country has their expectations exceeded and returns home as ambassadors to encourage travel to our country by their family, friends and colleagues and to encourage greater investment and tighter trade relations”, Mr Hingerty concluded.
For further comment:
Matthew Hingerty, Chairman
M: 0407 220 945
E: mhingerty@bartondeakin.com