Brisbane chalks up 15 bid wins as it heads into the year

Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the bids were won in the first two months of 2018 alone and would produce more than 38,000 delegate days.

“Every conference, exhibition and incentive that flows into Brisbane supports our tourism and hospitality businesses including hotels, restaurants, retailers and service providers,” Quirk said.

“With most conferences attracting hundreds of delegates over multiple days, that’s a significant level of expenditure that otherwise wouldn’t flow into Brisbane’s economy.

“Brisbane has a clear strategy to attract more national and international business events to the city, as part of our 2022 New World City Action Plan.”

Brisbane Convention Bureau general manager Juliet Alabaster optimistic about the city’s appeal for business events.

The events already secured this year span industries including health, education, technology and finance.

Brisbane Convention Bureau general manager Juliet Alabaster said the wins would provide tangible benefits for Brisbane in years to come.

“This year will see the fruition of past bid wins by the bureau and partners, with the city set to host major conferences including air route development event Routes Asia in March, the IEEE Conference on Robotics and Automation in May, and the World Congress of Science and Factual Producers in November,” Alabaster said.

“Brisbane is the complete package, and we’re ramping up our focus on attracting more business events by offering all the sophistication and style of larger destinations, accompanied by the warm hospitality the city is renowned for.”