Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA), representing the major accommodation hotels in Melbourne, urges the state government in the forthcoming State Budget to support the much needed 12,500 sqm extension of the Melbourne Exhibition Centre (MEC), which will generate a strong financial stimulus for Victoria.
Extra construction related jobs will be created along with large additional long term employment and economic benefits from those many industries that supply or feed off the exhibitions and conferences that the centre generates.
President of Tourism Accommodation Australia (Vic branch), Peter Crinis, stated,
“Melbourne hotels are both a partner and major beneficiary in this business generated, and an expansion would have a major economic impact on the hotel sector, and act as catalyst for many additional jobs, new hotel developments and refurbishment of existing properties and help keep Melbourne’s competitive position in events and tourism infrastructure.
Attracting expos, exhibitions and business events is vitally important to Victoria’s economy – with business events contributing $1.2 billion.
While Melbourne and Victoria have a great reputation in the conference and exhibition sector, our state cannot rest on its past successes as MEC’s availability has reached capacity and it will miss out on new business and larger exhibitions in the future. Expanding the MEC is essential to securing business events that require more space than presently available, as well as enabling multiple events to run concurrently, and will help us stay ahead of our competitors within Australia and the greater Asia-Pacific region who are also expanding.
It is now the right time for the State Government to commit to delivering this vital infrastructure project, which has been planned since 2004.” Stated Crinis
If approved by the state government in May 2012, the construction could commence in June 2013 and conclude around December 2016.