The Perth Convention Bureau has enjoyed a bumper February, securing 11 conferences which are expected to inject more than $7.2 million into the Western Australian economy over the next three years. Collectively the…
The Perth Convention Bureau has enjoyed a bumper February, securing 11 conferences which are expected to inject more than $7.2 million into the Western Australian economy over the next three years. Collectively the conferences are expected to attract nearly 5,000 delegates.
Two small national conferences are slated for this year while eight conferences are scheduled for next year and one for 2009.
Of the eight national conferences confirmed, three have been secured with financial support from the $1 million convention bid fund that the State Government created in 2005.
The Government funding is contingent on the private sector contributing a further $500,000.
The fund was established to attract large conferences and since being launched in June 2005 it has resulted in the Bureau securing 11 meetings representing an estimated 15,347 delegates and a $28.69 million delegate spend.
The three recent national meetings secured through the bid fund are the 20th Annual Australasian Society for HIV Medicine (ASHM) Conference (800 delegates) and the Pharmacy Australia Congress (850 delegates), both in 2008, and the Aged and Community Services Australia 22nd National Conference (1,000 delegates) in 2009.
The one major international meeting confirmed for Perth is Genomics and Public Health – Translating Research to Public Benefit, expected to attract 900 delegates in 2008.
Perth Convention Bureau Executive Chairman Graham Muir said that it had been pleasing to secure the conferences after what had been a relatively slow first half to the financial year.
“Our sales results are tracking well at this stage of the financial year and we are confident of reaching our target of securing convention and corporate meetings and incentive business worth more than $55 million for 2006-2007,” Mr Muir added.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
