Australia. The convention season is in full swing in Australia‟s newest convention location with the Darwin Convention Centre welcoming specialists from a wide range of industries including; urban designers, physicians, scientists, financial planners, nurses, midwives, obstetricians, epidemiologists, tourism professionals, veterinarians, government officials and dietitians in the last two months.
33 conventions are confirmed for 2009 with an estimated attendance of 12,000 delegates proving that the tropical harbour city of Darwin is a desirable destination for both national and international delegates alike. Recent events included the 2009 Thoracic Society of Australia & New Zealand (TSANZ) and Australian & New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science (ANZSRS) Annual Scientific Meeting managed by Festival City Conventions.
Director and Conference Manager of Festival City Conventions, Ms Elisabeth Eaton said many delegates really enjoyed Darwin and had a wonderful experience at the Centre. “The Darwin Convention Centre staff were very helpful, friendly and interacted well with the delegates. The food was fresh and delicious. The audio visual team were excellent and the wireless connectivity a bonus,” added Ms Eaton. The annual Securitor Conference conducted by Asgard Wealth Solutions attracted 492 financial planners to the city with the welcome night a highlight of the conference.
“The service levels were exceptionally high and everyone worked together as a team. I would definitely recommend the Darwin Convention Centre and Darwin as a conference destination to other event organisers,” said Asgard‟s Event Specialist – Marketing, Ms Antoinette Carlino. In a recent delegate survey undertaken at the 32nd Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) Symposium held at the Darwin Convention Centre in April, the delegates had nothing but praise for the Centre and their team.
ATEC Event Manager, Ms Kelly Wighton stated that in their 32 year history it was the first time the event had ever been held in Darwin. “It had not been possible to hold our event in Darwin until the opening of the Convention Centre. From an event management perspective, the venue is exceptional – 10 out of 10!” quipped Ms Wighton.
ATEC Chairman, John King summed up success of the symposium in a congratulatory letter to the CEO of Tourism Northern Territory by saying Darwin and the Northern Territory have a whole new fan club. “The Darwin Convention Centre worked beautifully for us; its size and flexibility were ideal for our event. The staff were also terrific to work with and went out of their way to ensure the success of the event,” quoted Mr King.
In partnership with the Northern Territory Convention Bureau, Australia‟s newest convention centre will continue to position Darwin as an enticing global hub for conferences, exhibitions and events. From the client feedback to date, they are on their way to obtaining that goal.
