Brisbane's experience with staging major events along with its welcoming vibe, growing infrastructure and enviable climate is attracting conference and incentive business. Photo / Tourism Australia.
Brisbane's experience with staging major events along with its welcoming vibe, growing infrastructure and enviable climate is attracting conference and incentive business. Photo / Tourism Australia.
Boasting an award-winning Convention Bureau, a great climate, expanding infrastructure and lots to see and do little wonder Brisbane’s incentive, events and conference sector is booming. By Venue editor Greg Fleming.
When an invitation to visit Brisbane arrived in my inbox I realised how little I knew about the Queensland capital. That changed after a trip there earlier this year.
I now know why this young, exciting city is punching well above its weight in the incentive and events sector.
Whether it's an intimate fine-dining dinner for eight at award-winning Esquire restaurant, a product launch, a sporting event (this year the city hosted both the Pacquiao/Horn fight and the inaugural rugby 10s at Suncorp stadium), or a five-star incentive trip for top performers, Brisbane ticks all the boxes - good and growing infrastructure, a fantastic restaurant and food scene and a forward-thinking marketing team who can tailor events to suit your needs.
Recently Lonely Planet dubbed Brisbane "Australia's most under rated city" and that's something Brisbane Convention Bureau general manager, Rob Nelson, agrees with.
"Visit Brisbane today and you'll be greeted with a city bursting with riverside restaurants, eclectic markets, laneway cafes, microbreweries and funky rooftop bars. Cultural landmarks such as the architecturally acclaimed Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) ensure visitors are spoilt for choice for entertainment and attractions."
And people don't just choose Brisbane for its leisure offerings.
The city is also a knowledge hub housing world-leading research institutions in health and life sciences, energy and resources, food and agribusiness, and the creative and digital industries.
The city boasts a fantastic restuarant and food scene which can cater to a wide range of business events. Photo / Tourism Australia.
"Brisbane has long been highly regarded as a destination for conferences of all sizes, but certainly our successful hosting of the 2014 G20 Leaders' Summit cemented our city's international reputation for delivering world class events.
"The World Science Festival Brisbane was hugely successful. 2017 was the second year this prestigious science and arts event was staged outside of New York, with Brisbane being the festival's Asia Pacific headquarters - offering a unique alignment opportunity for conference and incentive organisers."
In 2016 the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre was named 'best in the world' by the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC), while its global award-winning tourism infrastructure and hotel investment strategy has contributed to a 45% growth in hotel supply since 2013, giving rise to a swathe of diverse venues catering to groups of all sizes and occasions.
And there's more on the horizon with around $10 billion in new major infrastructure works in the pipeline to 2022.
Mr Nelson says that the $1.3 billion Brisbane Airport runway project will deliver the best runway system in the country when complete in 2020.
"We'll be hosting Routes Asia in 2018 to maximise this opportunity and over the next two years expect at least 10 new hotels, ranging from three to five star, to open and deliver more than 2000 additional rooms. In 2018 Howard Smith Wharves precinct will come to life on 2.4 hectare of riverfront land underneath the city's iconic Story Bridge. This 1880s era redevelopment will house an exhibition and events centre, boutique Art Series hotel, craft brewery and multiple restaurants."
Construction is also underway on the $3 billion Queens Wharf development - which will be a true game-changer for Brisbane.
An events at the new Howard Smith Wharves precinct. Photo / Tourism Australia.
By 2022 Queens Wharf will boast five new hotels including Brisbane's first 6-star hotel, the Ritz Carlton; three residential towers; 50 bars and restaurants; new retail offerings and public event space accommodating up to 60,000 people.
It's Brisbane's increasing experience with staging of major events along with its welcoming vibe, affordability, enviable climate and proximity to stunning natural attractions that's bringing visitors for both business and pleasure.
And if you want to set up a conference, business event or incentive programme the Brisbane Convention Bureau is your one-stop shop.
"We're continuously collaborating with other business units that include Investment Attraction; Major Events; Leisure Tourism; and Innovation, Talent and Skills, to give our clients unrivalled access to local expertise and knowledge," says Mr Nelson.
"In addition, the bureau works with our partners and stakeholders such as hotels, venues, service providers and institutions across the city in what we're proud to call a 'Team Brisbane' approach."
That ability to collaborate has established the city's reputation as a place that delivers conferences and events seamlessly.
Incentive business is up too.
"Our approach to incentive programs is to showcase our 'big ticket' attractions while also uncovering hidden experiences within Brisbane and the surrounding region.
"In 2016 we partnered with Business Events Australia on an incentive familiarisation for buyers from China. Our guests experienced a mix of adventure and leisure activities such as a bespoke breakfast in the City Botanic Gardens, a Story Bridge Adventure Climb, a private high-end shopping experience, and a visit to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary - one of the few places where guests can still hold a koala.
"They also explored the natural wonders on Brisbane's doorstep with a helicopter tour to Tangalooma Island Resort on Moreton Island. There, our guests raced quad bikes on the sand dunes and indulged in a banquet of fresh seafood. With the resort operating the world's leading provisional dolphin feeding program, our guests were treated to a truly memorable encounter with wild bottlenose dolphins."
Mr Nelson says the feedback was overwhelmingly positive - with all attendees saying they were more likely to recommend Brisbane as a destination for an incentive or corporate meetings.
And the wins keep coming with Brisbane chosen to host Tourism Australia's biennial Dreamtime event for incentive buyers in December.
As part of the Dreamtime program, Australian industry will have the opportunity to meet and do business with qualified buyers from key markets including Greater China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, New Zealand, USA and the United Kingdom during business sessions - helping to secure future incentive business for Australia.
