As Australia’s top convention facility, the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre enjoys incredible popularity. As it is sold out most of the time, the MCEC management is now waiting for final approval to expand again.
MELBOURNE- it is probably the most impressive venue in Australia with its long hall for exhibition and a spectacular Convention Centre equipped with the most advanced technologies and food facilities which would generally be expected in a stylish restaurant. Following the opening of the Convention Centre back to 2009, Melbourne already strengthened its position as Australia’s leading conference and exhibition centre, being also the first in the world to be rated “Six Star Green Star”.
“Melbourne is Australia’s leading destination for medical and science research as well as a major financial centre in Australia and Asia. The city is consequently a favourite for hosting medical, science and health-related business events”, explains MCEC Executive Chef Tony Panetta.
They are some 250,000 professional visitors, including some 50,000 foreign visitors, who come to Melbourne every year to participate to an event at MCEC. They rougly generate A$ 250 million to 300 million, according to data collected by Melbourne Visitors and Convention Bureau. “I must confess that we are overwhelmed by the success of the centre as we welcome some 1,500 events of any kind every year. We are then forced to refuse some business in our facilities. I believe that we are unfortunately forced to turn down 10% to 15% of our potential business”, adds Tony Panetta.
This is why that just a year and a half after opening the new convention centre, MCEC started to speak again about the necessity to expand again facilities. The attributed budget by Victoria State (where Melbourne is located) represents already US$ 19 million (A$17.7 million) for the necessary expansion of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC).
Land has been already acquired and Tony Panetta expects now that the expansion project will start very soon. “We get the support of the City Hall for our plans”, he highlights. The expansion will then add some 12,000 m2 of new spaces. “Once completed, we will then become Australia’s largest MICE venue, beating other Convention facilities in the market”, assured the MCEC. Works could start before the end of 2013 for a possible completion between the end of 2016 and early 2017.
These increased exhibition facilities are imperative to enhance Melbourne and Victoria’s position as a major competitor for global business events. The business events industry is the highest yielding sector of the tourism industry. The Melbourne Convention + Visitor’s Bureau’s (MCVB) recent Delegate Study indicates that conventions are a catalyst for regional travel with almost half of all delegates attending conventions in Melbourne also undertaking pre and post-event touring throughout the State.
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
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