Canberra’s intellectual and cultural expertise secures major conferences
Canberra’s potent combination of intellectual and cultural capacity, and access to political connections is helping to secure national and international business events, attracting thousands of delegates to the city over the next three years.
Canberra Convention Bureau secured over 50 national conferences in 2014-15, helping to achieve an overall $40 million in estimated economic impact for the Canberra region. Many of these conferences will be held in 2015 and 2016, delivering over 60,000 room nights for the accommodation sector as well as flow on benefits to the dining, entertainment and tourism sectors. “As well as delivering economic benefits for the city, these events will also raise Canberra’s profile as a city of innovation, home to thought leaders and smart ideas, a city ideally placed to help organisations meeting here make a real impact in their areas of influence” said Patrick McKenna, Chairman of Canberra Convention Bureau.
Mr McKenna credits the Bureau’s Research and Learning Institutes Group (RALIG) as instrumental in attracting research and professional association events to the city. “RALIG underpins the Bureau’s THINK Canberra strategy and connects event organisers to the thought leaders and innovators working in our research and cultural institutions” he said. “It’s a great opportunity to foster new relationships between Canberra’s knowledge industry and conference delegates”.
A number of major association conferences will be held in Canberra in 2015-16, attracting national and international attendance. Stephen Wood, Manager National Convention Centre Canberra (NCCC) said, “We will be hosting a number of national and international conferences at the NCCC next year, attracting industry and research leaders and further stimulating the visitor economy. With the recent announcement of refurbishments to the Convention Centre, we will further improve the customer experience and continue to attract major conferences to Canberra” .
Major conferences secured by Canberra Convention Bureau include:
- 19th Congress of the Australian Menopause Society 2015
- International Conference on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology 2016
- Australian Statistical Conference 2016
- 2016 International Federation of Landscape Architects Conference.
