Australia. The Perth Convention Bureau has secured 88 new business events for Western Australia worth an estimated 40 m euros to the local economy.   Achieved against the backdrop of the global economic crisis, the 40 m euros end of financial year result saw the Bureau exceed its 2008/09 delegate expenditure target by 1.2 m euros.

The events, which consist of national and international conferences, corporate meetings and incentive groups, are expected to attract an estimated 35,500 delegates to Western Australia over the next four years. Bureau managing director Christine McLean described the result as a “fantastic achievement” in what has been an extremely difficult global economic environment. “This result demonstrates the resilience of the business events sector and why the State Government has committed increased funding to attract high yield visitors,” Ms Mc Lean said.  

“In the short term, the global economic crisis is impacting on our business with reduced delegate numbers at conferences and fewer corporate reward programs being booked, but the long term prospects for the business events sector look extremely buoyant. In spite of all the global communication options available these days, people still prefer to meet face to face.”

A string of significant medical conferences contributed to this year’s healthy scorecard of conference bid wins. Among these include the Royal Australian College of Surgeons Annual Scientific Conference in May 2010 (2,800 delegates); the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists Annual Scientific Meeting in May 2012 (2,000 delegates); National Alcoholics Anonymous Convention in April 2011 (1,550 delegates); and the 11th National Rural Health Conference in March 2011 (1,200 delegates). www.pcb.com.au