Across the four-day program, the intersection between major and business events was on show, with conference attendees experiencing many of the venues Melbourne is renowned for: the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, one of the largest event spaces in the southern hemisphere; Cargo Hall by Showtime Event Group, a reimagined former docking shed with a nod to its maritime past; and the recent AUD$225-million redeveloped Marvel Stadium. 

Social programs included a tour of THE LUME Melbourne digital art gallery; a progressive dinner starting at rooftop bar Madame Brussels; and a reception at the Langham Melbourne, followed by a boat ride to the Australian Open for evening matches at Melbourne & Olympic Parks’ Rod Laver Arena.  

Sustainability remained a central focus of the Global Forum. BestCities partnered with Trees4Events, a sustainability tool that supports climate-positive meetings and events, to calculate and offset 149 tonnes of carbon emissions generated by flights, transportation, catering, venues and other conference elements. Projects to offset the Global Forum’s emissions included UN carbon credits investing in renewable energy as well as planting 967 trees. Conference delegates also helped to raise USD$2,500 (AUD3,800) for OzHarvest, Australia’s leading food rescue organisation, through Engage for Good, a program that incentivises delegate engagement for a worthy cause.

Location for 2025 announced

The next BestCities Global Forum will take place in Dublin in January 2025. Further details, including dates and programming, will be announced in the coming months. For more information about BestCities, visit www.bestcities.net.