Of the grand order of folio leviathans, the Sperm Whale and the Right Whale are by far the most noteworthy. They are the only whales regularly hunted by man. To the Nantucketer, they present the two extremes of all the known varieties of the whale. As the external difference between them is mainly observable in their heads; and as a head of each is this moment hanging from the Pequod's side.
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Of the grand order of folio leviathans, the Sperm Whale and the Right Whale are by far the most noteworthy. They are the only whales regularly hunted by man. To the Nantucketer, they present the two extremes of all the known varieties of the whale. As the external difference between them is mainly observable in their heads; and as a head of each is this moment hanging from the Pequod's side.
Australasian Special Events
Welcome to Australasian Special Events (ASE), your go-to destination for exclusive, behind-the-scenes insights into the dynamic world of Australasian special events. Since our establishment in 2000, ASE has been at the forefront of event journalism, providing a premier platform for industry practitioners to exchange ideas and information. Our founder and publisher, Trevor Connell, draws on an extensive network cultivated over 30 years in the Australasian event industry to bring you captivating stories from major events, including the Sydney Olympics, Centenary of Federation, and the Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
**Unveiling the Stories Behind ASE**
At ASE, we’re passionate about unveiling the stories that often go unnoticed amid the glitz and glamour of ASP. Our editorial focus spans a diverse range of Australasian corporate and public events, offering readers a comprehensive view of the Australasian event industry landscape. Whether you’re a seasoned Australasian event professional or an enthusiast, our platform aims to foster an interactive and egalitarian space for the free exchange of ideas related to ASE.
**Editorial Excellence and Interactive Engagement in ASE**
Driven by a commitment to excellence, ASE operates as a private venture with the support of sponsors and contributors who share our passion for the Australasian event industry. This backing enables us to maintain a dynamic website, ensuring that information related to ASP is not only current but also delivered promptly. Our editorial content is a tapestry of commentaries, opinions, event reports, and behind-the-scenes features, all centered around the theme of ASP.
We encourage a diversity of voices, welcoming contributions from our in-house team, regular contributors, and you, our valued readers. Your submissions, whether opinionated, witty, informative, or challenging, enrich the discourse within the Australasian event community. Photographers receive due credit, and we strive to keep editing to a minimum, respecting the authenticity of your contributions related to ASE.
**Your Voice Matters**
At ASE, your voice matters. We invite commentaries and opinions on current Australasian industry issues, as well as thought leadership articles that push the boundaries of conventional thinking in the realm of Australasian special events. Additionally, our platform provides a unique space for Australasian event reports, where you can delve into the intricate details of your Australasian event—from the initial brief to overcoming challenges and incorporating innovative ideas. Share your experiences with us, supported by photos and videos that capture the essence of Australasian special events, focusing on the production team and key suppliers.
Explore the vibrant world of Australasian special events, where every story is an invitation to step behind the curtain and witness the creativity, dedication, and meticulous planning that make Australasian special events truly extraordinary. Join us in celebrating the pulse of the Australasian event industry, where Australasian events come to life, and the stories unfold.
It’s been a few weeks since I’ve done an update and for good reason. Like the rest of the event industry …
November 24, 2023
Posted by Trevor Connell
November 24, 2023
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The nation’s most versatile venue isn’t afraid of the toughest turnarounds – story by John Cain Arena Venue Manager, Kerry Gassner …
November 23, 2023
Posted by ASE News
November 23, 2023
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At its 2023 Annual General Meeting on 21 November, Meetings & Events Australia announced that Oliver Sheer, Benjamin Ferry and Craig …
November 23, 2023
Posted by ASE News
November 23, 2023
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The theme for AIME’s 2024 Knowledge Program is “The 4Ps of GLOCALISATION” and will explore the relationship between global insights and …
November 23, 2023
Posted by AIME
November 23, 2023
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As part of Business Event Sydney’s (BESydney) Change Starts Here agenda, it has engaged a Social Impact Specialist to drive the …
November 23, 2023
Posted by ASE News
November 23, 2023
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Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland welcomed women from across the world for a conference on the importance of diversity and inclusion of women …
November 23, 2023
Posted by ASE News
November 23, 2023
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The nation’s most versatile venue isn’t afraid of the toughest turnarounds – story by John Cain Arena Venue Manager, Kerry Gassner When it comes to versatility, John Cain Arena stands out as a true marvel. The multi-purpose venue is a chameleon of the entertainment world, seamlessly transforming to host a surprising variety of events. From concerts and spectaculars to national and international sporting events, the venue can do it all …
At its 2023 Annual General Meeting on 21 November, Meetings & Events Australia announced that Oliver Sheer, Benjamin Ferry and Craig Watson have been elected by its membership to fill the 3 Directors positions created by retirement. All 3 new Directors represent an industry sub-segment that is not otherwise represented on the MEA Board. Oliver Sheer is Managing Director of Be Challenged. Benjamin Ferry is Director of Commercial, Premium & …
The theme for AIME’s 2024 Knowledge Program is “The 4Ps of GLOCALISATION” and will explore the relationship between global insights and local nuances. In his keynote presentation, Australian-born, LA-based bestselling author, TV host and founder of the 100 Things movement, Sebastian Terry, will explore the intricate dynamics of glocalisation’s transformative impact. He will also cover finding purpose, the “passion effect,” and creating high-performance teams. Ahead of the program, which launches …
As part of Business Event Sydney’s (BESydney) Change Starts Here agenda, it has engaged a Social Impact Specialist to drive the Social Impact strategy from the bidding stage all the way through, with a focus on measurement. Tina Demetriou will be joining the team from 21 November bringing a strong background in event sustainability and community stakeholder strategy and engagement. The Social Impact Specialist role was created by BESydney to …
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland welcomed women from across the world for a conference on the importance of diversity and inclusion of women within the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Over three days in early September, more than 235 women came together in person at Auckland’s Aotea Centre, with more than 50 participating online, for the 19th International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists (ICWES19). It was the first …
During 2020 and 2021 I did my best to keep readers up to date with how COVID-19 was impacting our industry. One of my most trusted sources for information was Coronacast with Dr Norman Swan and Tegan Taylor – I quoted them often. After over 500 episodes Coronacast has come to an end. So is the COVID pandemic over as well? Actually, no. And here are some points from the …
After 29 years as the national voice for business events, the Business Events Council of Australia (BECA) has been voluntarily de-registered – recently confirmed by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. BECA has achieved much on behalf of the business events industry, in particular raising the profile of the sector with government and funding research to demonstrate the sector’s contribution to the economy. During COVID lockdowns, however, it became …
The Australian Business Events Association (ABEA), the peak body for the Business Events industry, proudly announces the appointment of two additional industry leaders to its Board of Directors. Penny Lion, Non-Executive Director of Racing SA and Adelaide Venue Management Corporation (AVMC) and the Clare Valley Wine & Grape Association, joins industry luminary Dr Leo Jago OAM, Director of Tourism and Business Events International, who was appointed to the Board last …
In 2022-23, the first full year of operation since the pandemic, MCEC exceeded expectations, hosting 694 events, welcoming more than 2.6 million visitors and generating $805 million in economic impact for Victoria. As highlighted in its 2022-23 Annual Report, tabled by Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos, MCEC experienced a faster than expected business recovery. Twenty-one international, 70 national and 124 local meetings, conferences and exhibitions were …
After a very competitive tender process, Doltone House is thrilled to announce that we been selected as the successful ‘Venue Management Catering Services’ exclusive hospitality partner for the iconic Sydney Town Hall. This prestigious appointment recognises Doltone House’s commitment to delivering exceptional event experiences and its dedication to preserving the rich heritage of this historic Sydney landmark. This will involve the management and operation of all catered events at Sydney …
Meetings & Events Australia (MEA) is thrilled to announce Tourism Australia will sponsor the Outstanding Contribution Award category of the 2023 MEA Awards. With a rich history of recognising excellence in the events industry, the MEA Awards have celebrated the achievements of the Australian events sector since 1983. Each year, MEA honours the remarkable achievements of an outstanding contributor to the Australian events industry. The Outstanding Contribution Awardcategory was introduced …
AIME Event Director, Silke Calder takes a deep dive into AI As the AIME Event Director, I am constantly immersed in the world of large-scale event planning and conferences. It seems that AI is the buzzword that never fades away, with claims of revolutionising our industry. At AIME we were pioneers to use AI when developing our bespoke meeting matching platform. Early on, our team recognised the power and benefits …
Well it depends on who you talk to. As you would expect the organisers, Destination NSW and the main venue all claimed it was a great success, however there were also plenty of points to the contrary. As I noted in my preview I couldn’t find enough content to entice me to pay. So the only thing I was really interested in was the tech expo at ICCS and I …
Business Events Sydney (BESydney) has unveiled its new Change Starts Here strategic agenda aimed at sharing the depth of possibilities for powerful global change when hosting business events in Sydney. BESydney is shifting the business event narrative, with CEO Lyn Lewis-Smith explaining, “We want our business events delegates to meet the people, enjoy the place and discover a shared purpose, in Sydney,” she said. After years of research demonstrating the …
LED screens are becoming a must-have for important corporate events, creating a dramatic presence far beyond projected images. They act as both screen and stage set, giving camera images and social photos an impact that the traditional screens and black drapes can’t achieve. National audiovisual firm Scene Change now offers broadcast-grade LED in all its locations: Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, Hunter Valley, Melbourne and Sydney. All offices now own sizeable stocks …
An exclusively female technology team from Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre produced the Chief Executive Women (CEW) Leadership Summit, which was held at the venue last month. According to the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association, women make up only 6% of the global audio visual (AV) industry. The underrepresentation of women in the AV industry highlights the significance of an all-female tech team leading such a prominent event at MCEC. …
Gary FitzRoy looks at the price increases being foisted on expo organisers. In a concerning development for the exhibition industry, some of the government owned venues are imposing double-digit rental increases for next year. These substantial rate hikes come at a time when many event organisers are still recovering from the economic challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to fears that these increases may be the final straw …
With a history of recognising excellence in the events industry, Meetings & Events Australia’s Awards Program has celebrated the achievements of the Australian events sector since 1983. This year’s program has been refined and will ensure that the most exceptional events industry achievements, creativity, and best practices across Company, Individual and Event of the Year sections during 2023 are those recognised with awards. Whether they have led an exceptional team …
So some observations. There are four streams – Tech & Innovation, Games, Music and Screen. From the point of view of an event industry veteran what would these streams offer me? The Tech & Innovation stream promises “Discover and explore the ground-breaking technologies and ideas that are changing the way we live our lives at SXSW Sydney. Throw yourself into a wide variety of programming, including keynotes, panels, presentations, showcases, …
Photo: UC Distinguished Professor Steven Ratuva, Professor Bronwyn Hayward and Professor Shaun Ogilvie — co-convenors of AF2025. An international climate adaptation conference will bring together the world’s top scientists, Indigenous scholars and policymakers in Ōtautahi Christchurch in 2025. Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) will host the 8th Adaptation Futures Conference (AF2025) in 2025, which is part of the United Nations World Adaptation Science Programme (WASP). …
Business Events Sydney (BESydney) has won the inaugural Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDS-Movement) and #MEET4IMPACT Impact Award for destination management organisations committed to legacy and impact through business events. GDS Movement Awards for BESydney Genevieve Le Clerc, BESydney’s Sebastian Gonzalez and Guy Bigwood 2023 The ceremony in Valencia, Spain, recognised BESydney for its world-leading work creating a social impact methodology and framework for business events across Sydney and NSW. “We are …
Vale Rodd Craig In mid-2020 I had a call from Rodd Craig who shared his concern for the mental health of workers in the events industry. Rodd talked about how over many years pre-COVID crews would sit around during breaks to catch up and chat about life in general. He pointed out that these crews would go from job to job to bump in and out (and operate) theatre shows, …
The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) has been awarded Best Exhibition or Trade Show at the 2023 Australian Event Awards & Symposium. At a gala event held at the Highline Venue in Bankstown, NSW, AIME received the prestigious award, cementing its position as the flagship trade show for the meetings and events industry in Asia Pacific. AIME Event Sales Manager Suzie Kovacevic and AIME Event Director Silke Calder …
New Zealand’s first Business Events Week launches today (18 September 2023) with the Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) Annual Conference in Marlborough, followed by policy and business forums in Wellington and Auckland. Spearheaded by peak industry body BEIA, New Zealand Business Events Week has been developed as a platform to elevate the importance of the sector to New Zealand. It includes five days of meetings, forums, seminars and awards attended …
Milestone Creative Australia took out the National Award for “Best Achievement in Marketing or Communications” at the prestigious Australian Event Awards. Alana Hay One of 34 companies to be recognised as a National Winner in their respective categories, Milestone Creative Australia – a specialist event marketing agency – was honoured with the prestigious National Award. The Australian Event Awards, known for celebrating excellence and innovation within the event industry, recognised …
The 2023 Australian Event Awards were presented on Wednesday night in suburban Bankstown. 33 awards were presented. The major winners included Vivid Sydney 2023, Destination NSW who took home Best Tourism Event, Facing the Future: Aged Care 2030 and Beyond, 2023, ARIIA who won Best Congress or Conference (<500) and National Multicultural Festival 2023, ACT Government winning Best Community Event. Notably, Get Technical! – Behind the Curtain of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Global Creatures won Best New Event …
Following the recent announcement of three accomplished graduates, Meetings & Events Australia (MEA) is delighted to shine a spotlight on yet another exceptional student who has completed its Diploma of Event Management [SIT50316] course. A fortunate recipient of a Destination NSW-funded MEA scholarship, Sara Wightman from Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council is the latest student to be awarded a Diploma of Event Management qualification by MEA. Sara Wightman Developed in partnership with …
I enjoy checking out reports and photos from the annual Burning Man Festival held in a normally barren desert. This year that desert turned into mud In the Nine newspapers on Sunday journalist Nell Geraets looked at the implications for festivals in Australia as they struggle to deal with unpredictable (and extreme) weather conditions. Here are some of the pertinent points and follow the link below to the full article …
In just two days, the curtain will be lifted, unveiling the best of the best at the 15th Australian Event Awards Ceremony. Ahead of this staple of the annual events calendar, the Awards highlight and thank the invaluable expert contributions of their partners. This year the Awards have five project delivery partners that provide major products and services required to stage the awards night. Chameleon who supply the lighting equipment making …
To the Industry, The AWISA Board are disappointed to advise that the AWISA Exhibition planned for July 2024 has been cancelled. This position was reached over the last few weeks when the majority of the large machinery exhibitors withdrew from the show. These machinery companies represent a large and important part of the exhibition footprint, attracting many attendees to the show to negotiate and buy new equipment. The AWISA Board …
As a concerned, long-time member of the event industry I felt that someone had to represent the industry at the Senate Inquiry into Australia’s preparedness to host Commonwealth, Olympic and Paralympic Games. I was concerned that if I didn’t put in a submission and appear that there would be no one from the event industry giving voice to our concerns at the Inquiry. And the Comm Games is a big …
After recently announcing two new graduates, Meetings & Events Australia (MEA) is thrilled to announce that it has graduated yet another student from its event management course. A fortunate recipient of a Destination NSW-funded MEA scholarship, Rachel Merton from Broken Hill City Council is the latest student to be awarded a Diploma of Event Management (SIT50316) qualification by MEA. Rachel Merton Developed in collaboration with Destination NSW, this scholarship program …
In a turn of events that has left the exhibition industry reeling, the country’s largest annual event for the Wood and Cabinet industry (AWISA), has been cancelled for the upcoming year. The news, which spread like wildfire over the weekend, has sent shockwaves through the events sector. The cancellation of AWISA is a glaring reminder that despite the gradual recovery from the pandemic, the remnants of COVID-19’s impact are still …
With only a week to go until the music officially begins, the Gympie Music Muster site in the Amamoor State Forest is quickly taking shape thanks to the assistance of valuable trainees. With nine SkillCentred Queensland ‘Skilling Queenslanders for Work’ trainees on site with their supervisor, they have been constructing fences, fencing, building the smokers’ corral, helping to build bars, and generally anything that’s needed doing. Trainees at Gympie Music …
Just read Fitz-Roy’s brave takedown of the exhibition suppliers. Gutsy! As a three decade veteran of trade shows, I recall planning my first event and falling over when the contractors at the old Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre quoted for carpet, shell scheme, and power. Without any rebates to myself, the promoter. I passed on the forms to my new cohort of 100 exhibitors — and the phone rang off …
Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading annual business events exhibition, MEETINGS broke records this year for the projected value of business it generated. Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) post-MEETINGS buyer survey shows $157 million will be placed over the next five years following the two-day event in Wellington this June — a significant increase on 2022’s results. BEIA Chief Executive, Lisa Hopkins says world-class new infrastructure, increased international connectivity, and diverse regional …
The monopolistic price gouging by certain suppliers and venues is poised to cause significant and lasting repercussions within the industry and the following is a real example that calls it out! While the economy’s impact is substantial, it’s the exploitative practices of a few that will truly set the industry back for years to come. I’ve consistently highlighted the unjustified price hikes and opportunistic tactics adopted by companies, initially justified …
When the announcement came out about Australia and New Zealand winning the hosting rights to the FIFA Women’s World Cup it was not treated with a lot of excitement and various agencies were trying to hype it up. Staging a friendly against France in Melbourne was a brilliant move – that game captured the imagination and once the tournament started the interest grew. Staging the finals in Sydney though – …
The international standard for event sustainability (ISO 20121) is up for a ten year review. ISO 20121: Event Sustainability Management Systems is framework to help event organisers systematically manage sustainability. It can be implemented by event organisers, event venue managers, and event suppliers. Event management training platform rEVENTS Academy is part of a committee made up of event industry representatives in Australia that is seeking feedback on the proposed changes. …
The Australian Business Events Association have been busy with a roadshow to each state to explain the purpose of the association – and to drum up membership. This week ABEA released an update on their recent progress in policy and advocacy work, as they create strategic relationships and pathways to enable input on the future of the business events industry. Here are some key highlights from recent engagements: Collaboration with …
Gary FitzRoy shares his conceren about the future of the exhibition industry
The expert judging panel of the Australian Event Awards have named the best Events in Australia, together with a host of achievements and companies who collectively make up the nominees for the Australian Event Awards 2023. Co-Chair of the Judging Panel, Peter Rix AM says “What an inspiring group of Nominees for 2023! The range of events produced, achievements devised and brought to life and embracing of the changing industry …
Sydney has secured the second edition of the FIFA Women’s Football Convention from 18 – 19 August 2023 to conclude the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023TM which ends with the final in Sydney. Held at the International Convention Centre Sydney, the FIFA Women’s Football Convention will host 1,000 delegates over two days in Sydney with an estimate value to the NSW economy of $1.2 million. Together with leaders from the …
Business Events Industry Aotearoa welcomes the lifting of all New Zealand’s COVID-19 restrictions from today (15 August 2023). The New Zealand Government says over the past month reported COVID-19 cases have hit their lowest levels since February 2022 and now is the time to remove all requirements including seven-day mandatory isolation. BEIA Chief Executive, Lisa Hopkins says the association and its fellow industry associations have been advocating for this change …
ASE was pleased to visit Wellington New Zealand as a hosted media for Meetings 2023 – first, some general observations For the first time New Zealand’s annual Meetings expo has been held in Wellington. So why the first time? Well the city never really had a dedicated conference venue. But that has changed in a rather spectacular fashion. Following the opening of the Christchurch Convention centre, New Zealand now has …
Meetings 2023 was hosted at the Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre. This venue is owned by the Wellington City Council and managed through Tākina Events, a partnership combining the Tākina and the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa event spaces under a common brand and managed by Te Papa. These two buildings are on opposite sides of one of Wellington’s main roads enabling access to multiple rooms for events – …
Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre is owned by the Wellington City Council and managed through Tākina Events, a partnership combining the Tākina and the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa event spaces under a common brand and managed by Te Papa. These two venues are across the road from each other and provide the opportunity for event organisers to utilise spaces in each venue for meetings and events. The largest …
Incentivise Live, the Society of Incentive Travel Excellence ANZ one-day conference in Sydney on Monday, August 7,will be asking some big questions and providing plenty of insights into the changing nature of audiences and the new social agenda and how these are likely to impact businesses and the delivery of incentive travel rewards moving forward. Futurist Simon Kuestenmacher will examine how our changing demographics are driving a new social agenda and pinpoint how this …
After a week of connecting and doing business, the MEETINGS 2023 finale for 675 guests was all about celebrating, in true Wellington style. The farewell celebration was held at TSB Arena’s Shed 6 venue and saw a collaboration with the creative team at NW Group who created an immersive experience for guests from the moment they entered the venue. MEETINGS Event Manager, Chris Peak says guests went all out to …
There is a lot being said in the mainstream media about Dan Andrews pulling the plug on the Melbourne Comm Games that cover a number of aspects The budget – actual and estimated The monetary cost of cancelling The reputational cost of cancelling The loss of promised new facilities in regional areas The disappointment of the athletes Lots of political point scoring (maybe that could be included as a new …
Wētā Workshop is an award-winning film effects company that service the world’s creative industries. Their crew have worked on many well-known and much-loved films and TV series, such as The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Avatar, King Kong, District 9 and many more. Their slogan is “We make cool stuff” and that is what they got hosted buyers from Meetings2023 to do. ASE spoke to Wellington Area Manager Jade Bolstad about what the workshop has …
Queenstown sits on the shores of Lake Wakatipu at the lower end of New Zealand’s South Island. It is a pristine area renowned for adventure sports and tourism. Tourism is the mainstay of the local visitor economy supported by an engaging events calendar. On the business events side the focus is on incentives, supported by facilities for meetings of up to 450 pax. In order to preserve the pristine nature of …
OK Helen Rosamond is not the first dodgy event manager to surface in Sydney (I reckon that would have been a member of the rum corps) but she is the first I know of to be handed a 15 year stretch for her efforts. I was going to do a piece on this but Ian Whitworth beat me to it – and he had first-hand experience with the Human Group. …
The events industry has always been a dynamic and ever-evolving field, subject to various factors that shape its trajectory. As we approach the midpoint of 2023, it becomes increasingly apparent that a significant shift is on the horizon. Recent developments, such as the Victorian Government’s surprising announcement to withdraw from hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games, raise questions about the future of large-scale events. These occurrences, combined with mixed messages from …
A new partnership agreement signed between the Schwartz Family Company and Spectapular Enterprises – organisers of the Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular (GABS) – is set to turbocharge regional craft beer and wine events. Under the agreement, the Schwartz Family Company’s Hunter Valley, Canberra and Gold Coast events will come into the GABS stable, providing greater national exposure for the regional wine and beer festivals. The agreement also sees Jerry Schwartz take up …
Registrations are open for Business Events Industry Aotearoa’s (BEIA) annual conference in Marlborough which kicks off New Zealand’s inaugural Business Events Week on 18 September. ‘Experience Extraordinary’ is the theme for three stimulating days of speakers, panel discussions and workshops at ASB Theatre, Marlborough, and Marlborough Convention Centre in the heart of Blenheim. BEIA Chief Executive, Lisa Hopkins says ‘Experience Extraordinary’ reflects the calibre of speakers at this year’s conference, …
The Geelong Convention and Exhibition Centre precinct development is a step closer to reality with the selection of the preferred bidder to deliver the much-anticipated project, along with the unveiling today of proposed designs. Minister for Regional Development Harriet Shing joined City of Greater Geelong Mayor Trent Sullivan to announce Plenary Conventions has been appointed to lead the project and will soon start on what will be one of the …
VTIC welcomed the separate $150 million fund to support development of worker accommodation in regional Victoria, which has been an enormous hurdle to the recovery of the state. Finding and housing an adequate labour force in our regional areas has been a crucial missing link impeding growth potential for the sector. The $150 million tourism package also announced by Premier Daniel Andrews today is welcome investment in the industry, however the …
The Australian Business Events Association (ABEA) has today announced the appointment of its inaugural CEO, Melissa Brown. Melissa Brown brings to ABEA an impressive professional background ranging from start-ups and non-profit organisations to medium-sized enterprises and multi-nationals; Melissa’s diverse international experience and exceptional skills align perfectly with the Board’s vision of bringing a unified approach to the role. Melissa Brown The Board identified Melissa’s passion for building teams and …
FCM Meetings & Events General Manager, Simone Seiler, said the ‘Future is Neon’ theme was fitting as it complemented FCTG’s commitment to supporting the ‘Brightness of Future’ of all employees.
The International World Mining Congress has come to Australia for the first time since the association was formed in Europe in 1958. As congress chair, Dr Hua Guo acknowledged at the opening today acknowledging Australia’s strong position in mining, “It’s about time you got here”. More than 3,500 participants from 70 countries have gathered in Brisbane, bringing together an impressive senior line-up of government, corporates, researchers, educators and suppliers to …
Despite rising costs and inflation, 76% of event professionals plan to increase their total volume of events in 2023, highlighting critical importance of face-to-face experiences to drive business
Joanna Matthew named as incoming Chief Executive Officer of Associations Forum Joanna Matthew Joanna was previously at Save The Children Wellington and South Pacific, Surf Lifesaving NZ, Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa and Financial Advice Association of Australia. She has a BA Psychology from Middlebury College in Vermont, USA and an Executive MBA with Distinction from Massey University, NZ. John Peacock AM, outgoing CEO of Associations Forum, …
Joyn, a leading event technology platform, has announced that it has acquired Arinex, the largest Australian owned business event management company. The combined group will be called The Arinex Group, and will be focused on creating modern, innovative and technology led event experiences around the world. Arinex is a world-renowned leader in the business event management industry, with over 50 years of experience in a wide range of events including …
Rotorua has been named host city for New Zealand’s 28th national business events showcase, MEETINGS to be held at the Energy Events Centre on 19 and 20 June 2024. Following a record MEETINGS 2023 in Wellington last month, MEETINGS is heading to regional New Zealand to highlight the diverse experiences on offer outside the three main centres. Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) Chief Executive, Lisa Hopkins says next year’s MEETINGS …
The Australian Business Events Association (ABEA) has officially kicked-off and to mark the occasion has released its first 90-Day Plan to ensure a strong and successful launch. The release of the 90-Day Plan provides a detailed short-term roadmap for the Association to quickly bring to life its five core pillars of industry development, community, research, professional development, and advocacy. Chair of the Board, Peter King, said the decision to make …
New Zealand’s only national tradeshow for the business events industry has been dubbed a triumph for the capital, celebrating many milestones and winning praise from attendees, organisers and media. Held in Wellington for the first time in the show’s 27-year history, MEETINGS 2023 was the largest ever, welcoming over 1,000 business events professionals, 224 exhibitor stands, and more than 400 buyers from around New Zealand, Australia and beyond. Business Events …
Tourism New Zealand are targeting a record $135m worth of international conferences that will support sector and country recovery over the coming years.
Business Events Industry Aotearoa’s MEETINGS 2023 winds up in Wellington today after two days packed with over 6,000 meetings, networking functions and knowledge sessions. MEETINGS has connected 224 exhibitors from 19 regions with over 400 buyers from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and North America. An industry briefing featured updates from Tourism New Zealand Business Events, Immigration New Zealand, Air New Zealand, Business Events Wellington and BEIA. BEIA Chief Executive, Lisa …
Aotearoa New Zealand’s business events sector is set to celebrate and collaborate this September during a week-long forum focusing on future growth. Spearheaded by peak industry body Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) and supported by Tourism New Zealand Business Events, the inaugural Business Events Week will run from 18 to 22 September 2023. It will start in Marlborough, incorporating BEIA’s annual conference, before moving on to Wellington for a policy …
A group of 680 leading business events professionals were welcomed to New Zealand’s capital last night (Tuesday 20 June) with a spectacular opening ceremony for MEETINGS 2023 at Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand. Business Events Industry Aotearoa’s MEETINGS 2023 is the largest in its 27-year history, with 224 exhibition stands representing 19 regions, including 26 first-time exhibitors, plus over 400 buyers, including 100 from Australia and 10 from …
Over 1,000 business events industry professionals have arrived in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, New Zealand for Business Events Industry Aotearoa’s MEETINGS 2023 exhibition. New Zealand’s two-day annual industry trade event is being held in Wellington for the first time in its 27-year history and signals a new era for the sector. BEIA Chief Executive, Lisa Hopkins says this year’s MEETINGS will be a landmark event for the industry with a record number of …
Following the disruption of 2020 – 2021 (which is still being felt in 2022) is the Australian event industry back on track? The formation of the Australian Business Events Association without MEA and the PCOA feels like a lost opportunity. Would a broader association that embraced the entire event industry be more successful, or even possible given the fractious nature of the industry associations? The MEA Evolve conference felt like …
At the recent MEA Evolve conference ASE caught up two members of the board to discuss the future of the event industry and of MEA. Michael Firman is the chair of the MEA national board of directors and a long time member of the association. During the conference the board took to the stage to address the future of the association and to answer questions from the floor. ASE took …
The 2023 MEA conference saw the welcome return of the MEA Awards with the qualifying period covering both 2021 and 2022. Read the full list of winners here ASE took the opportunity to capture reaction from a few of the winners on the night. Enjoy… The ICC Sydney had two wins Toni McAllister accepted the award for Virtual Event of the Year for Pathology Update 2021: Re-cracking the code which …
Excellence in event management proved the winning formula for Susan Harris, Managing Director and Event Director of Absolute Events & Marketing. She has been awarded two prestigious awards at the Meeting & Events Australia (MEA) National Awards on Thursday 8 June. Susan Harris – photo Ben Williams Photography Not only did Susan win the Event Manager of the Year – Professional Conference Organiser Award, she also received one of the …
We all know events have an extensive planning process. Sydney WorldPride 2023 showcased how to incorporate diversity and inclusion into major events. Lily Stokes We spoke to Lily Stokes, Human Rights Conference Producer, Sydney WorldPride 2023 about her recommendations for making diversity, equity and inclusion considerations, a part of every business event. How do event planners ensure diversity and inclusion considerations are as important as all planning elements for business …
The Australian Business Events Association (ABEA) has revealed its Membership Prospectus geared towards engaging all sectors of the business events industry. The Association’s goals of inclusivity are exemplified by the structure of ABEA’s Membership offerings, which have been carefully designed to suit different business needs and sizes – from small to large. To further ensure the diverse voices of the sector are engaged, members will be encouraged to participate in …
A new report from the USA exhibition industry may support growing concern that the industry could face significant challenges and could go backwards over the next 18 months compared to 2022. The demand for in-person experiences has been skyrocketing as we emerged out of covid lock downs, and many shows made remarkable comebacks beating where they were at in 2019. People craved the tangible interactions, the excitement of exploring new …
30 years after he founded ENTECH, now a national touring roadshow for the audio visual industry, Julius Grafton has branched out offering PCO services along with roadshow management for others. Entering the industry in 1973 offering psychedelic lightshows, Grafton forged a career on the road working with iconic rock bands in the 70’s and 80’s, before establishing a series of businesses servicing technical production supply and events. Grafton is Sydney …
New Zealand’s capital, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington is set to host New Zealand’s largest business events showcase MEETINGS 2023 next week, the first time it has been held in the city. Staged by Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA), MEETINGS will be attended by a record number of international and domestic buyers and exhibitors on 21 and 22 June. For the first time in four years, buyers from international markets including Asia …
Australia’s longest operating and largest events industry association, Meetings & Events Australia (MEA), has acknowledged and celebrated excellence and achievements in the industry during 2021 & 2022. Held at The Star Gold Coast and hosted by Master of Ceremonies Luke Hannan, the 2021-2022 MEA National Awards presentation ceremony was the perfect bookend to MEA’s highly successful annual conference, Evolve 2023. More than 200 guests witnessed 35 Awards be presented to …
Simon Baggs shares his observations about the current state of industry representation. Simon Baggs In my perfect world, all sectors of the event industry (sport, theatre, arts, festivals, business events, incentives, exhibitions, corporate events, etc.) would be represented by one umbrella association. This umbrella association would have significant clout with all levels of government and present a very positive avenue for business development, and other benefits for the entire supply …
Australasia’s oldest professional conference organiser ICMSA has had plenty of industry firsts in its 57 year history but has never managed three meetings all starting on the same day. Come June 26, ICMSA staff will be manning registration desks in Brisbane and Melbourne in preparation for an influx of close to 5,000 delegates attending three separate meetings. The International Conference on Conversation Analysis at the University of Queensland, the 26th …
The Australian Business Events Association, the newly formed peak body for the business events industry announces its board of directors and launches its new logo in the lead up to its official launch on 3 July 2023. With a focus on supporting members of all sizes from large corporations to small businesses, the composition of the board of well-regarded industry and business leaders from all areas of the country signals …
Peter Jones responds to the formation of the ABEA Back in 2020 – 21 the events industry was in chaos, especially in Victoria which suffered the longest lockdowns in Australia, I was part of the Business Events Advisory Group who met regularly with the Victorian Tourism and Major Events Minister, who at one stage asked us “Exactly what the X!?! is the events industry?” He explained that he had the …
Welcome to this week’s update MEA Awards program The MEA awards program appears to be struggling to make a comeback after COVID. NSW is always the strongest state in the MEA awards program but this week’s presentation saw an underwhelming list of winners with many of the 37 award categories not contested. I’ve heard that the Victorian awards was similarly underrepresented. Let’s hope the membership bounces back to support this …
Arinex has marked its 50th anniversary by launching a refreshed brand with new logo, and paying tribute to its visionary founder. Arinex Managing Director, Nicole Walker with founder Roslyn McLeod The brand was unveiled to over 250 Arinex clients, past and current staff, partners and industry leaders at its 50th anniversary celebration at the ICC Sydney on Friday, 12 May. Arinex Managing Director, Nicole Walker, said the refreshed brand …
About 100 members gathered at Jones Bay Wharf for a cocktail function to celebrate the NSW state winners in the MEA Awards. Networking was definitely the order of the night as many people were catching up face to face for the first time since March 2020. An exuberant MC, Luke Hannan, kept the night moving with even more exuberant support from the tables on opposite sides of The Loft occupied …
One played out like a three act opera and the other was a three day party. The Coronation of King Charles III ranged from the bizarre to the extraordinary. The first act – The Arrivals – so many people in bizarre costumes, including Katy Perry (but at least she provided some entertainment as she tried to find her seat) . The second act – The Coronation – the whole arcane …
The amalgamation has been announced of AACB, EEAA and the ACCG into the Australian Business Events Association. The current peak body, BECA, described Business Events as generally made up of meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions. This new organisation is essentially made up of representatives of convention bureaux, convention and exhibition centres and expo organisers. PCOs and Incentive associations have not joined them. The key association representing PCOs is the PCOA …
One of Australia’s leading names in fashion and a Southern Highlands local, Collette Dinnegan, has been part of the judging panel for the Hessians on the Field competition at the Robertson Potato Festival last weekend. Dinnegan, known for her countless successes in pioneering fashion in Australia and overseas, including being the first Australian with a ready-to-wear collection in Paris, will now turn her eyes to a different type of fashion. …
In 1973, the Aquarius Festival, the bi-annual festival of the Australian Union of Students, was held at Nimbin in northern NSW, now known widely as the Rainbow Region. Now from 12 – 21 May, the Aquarius 50 Festival at Nimbin will celebrate the anniversary of this remarkable event and its legacy, including the achievements and challenges of the Nimbin township over half a century. The extensive program covers many aspects …
Meetings & Events Australia (MEA) acknowledges the creation of the Australian Business Events Association (ABEA) as a new body in the greater Australian events industry. MEA recognises that ABEA will seek to replace the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux (AACB) and the Exhibition & Events Association of Australasia Ltd (EEAA) as individual entities, as well as the Australian Convention Centres Group (ACCG). For many years MEA has collaborated with the …
All businesses are dependent on sales and they are currently facing unprecedented uncertainty and volatility in their day-to-day business. Expertise Events have created the Expertise Academy for their clients and partners, and have extended an invitation to ASE readers to attend the next session (online on 16th May) featuring Dr Cory Middleton from the Talent Development Academy. Expertise Events’ Gary Fitz-Roy said “We understand that uncertainty can be daunting, and …
The business events industry will converge on New Zealand’s vibrant capital in June for the first time in the event’s 27-year history. Run by Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA), MEETINGS is New Zealand’s premier business events tradeshow with 100 hosted and semi-hosted buyers and media from Australia, 134 hosted buyers from New Zealand and 10 from international markets including North America and Singapore attending. Up to 300 buyers from Wellington …
Associations Forum returned to Sydney last week for its premier association sector National Conference with over 550 attending from across the country. The conference was hosted at the new Winx Stand, Australian Turf Club at Royal Randwick Racecourse on 27 – 28 April 2023. Attendees included delegates and speakers from professional and industry associations as well as suppliers to the sector. The two-and-a-half-day conference welcomed hundreds of association experts, executives and board …
Over 230 leading business event organisers from Australia, North America, Singapore and New Zealand have been confirmed as fully hosted buyers for the first MEETINGS exhibition in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington this June. Organised by Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA), the two-day trade exhibition, educational and networking event features 224 stands from 19 regions across New Zealand filling two levels at the new Tākina – Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre. BEIA …
In the biggest shake-up of the business events association landscape in over a decade, the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux (AACB), the Australian Convention Centres Group (ACCG), and the Exhibition & Events Association of Australasia Ltd (EEAA) have announced they have unified and will launch the Australian Business Events Association on 3 July 2023. The work to spearhead the new association has been led by a Project Development Group, comprised …
Chip chip hooray! The home of the Big Potato will once again be the staging ground for the Robertson Potato Festival – an opportunity for spud lovers to celebrate all things potato! Taking place over two days from May 6 – 7 at the Robertson Showground in the heart of the Southern Highlands, this event promises to be bigger, better & potato-ee-yer than last year with lashings of entertainment in …
Following industry consultation, the Australian Event Awards Team have introduced 15 new categories and reintroduced 6 categories to recognise the entire events industry, their creativity, contribution, innovation and excellence. In total, the 2023 Event Awards have 33 categories on offer – the biggest Event Awards yet. “Taking on board the feedback from the industry, we revisited what was on offer and built a new set of categories to recognise areas …
The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is the second largest free public event in Australia (after Sydney NYE). But unlike NYE, and many other events, the Mardi Gras has not missed a beat. In 2020 the parade and associated events were wrapping up when the event industry was shut down on 13th March. In 2021 and 2022 the parade went ahead at the Sydney Cricket Ground, while most of …
Host city Sydney designed an itinerary that highlighted Sydney’s harbour for the Business Events Australia Asia Mega Famil Showcase this week as Business Events Sydney (BESydney) and its industry partners provided a first-hand update for 50 influential planners and media from Asia. Delegates from Greater China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore toured Sydney for three days kicking off with a special Aussie welcome at Taronga Zoo’s spectacular Gili …
Australasian event management company Arinex has become the first to trial a new reforestation project open to business event groups visiting Tropical North Queensland. While in Cairns for the Arinex Conference, team members had an opportunity to learn about and revitalise the endangered ecosystem of the Wongabel Mabi Forest Restoration project. The team funded the planting of enough native trees to remove the non-travel related carbon emissions generated by the …
The Federal Government has today confirmed a $2 million allocation to measure the impact and benefit of business events. The project is being rolled out in two phases, including the addition of new questions to Tourism Research Australia’s National and International Visitor Surveys which are already in place and collecting data. Secondly, the Government will work closely with the Business Events Council of Australia (BECA) to roll out “bespoke data collection …
The Business Events Australia Asia Mega Famil Showcase has kicked off today with the first group of international planners arriving in Australia for a pre-famil visit ahead of the Sydney program with host city partner Business Events Sydney
AIME has today released new insights into the success of their 30-year anniversary show which took place over three days at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre in February 2023. A post show analysis has revealed: ● AIME will generate an anticipated $200 million in business between exhibitors and buyers over the next 12 months – a near 70% increase on 2022. ● 90% of exhibitors were satisfied with their …
I love arts festivals and I love Adelaide (I was born there) so it is fantastic to see another successful Mad March with Womadelaide, Adelaide Festival and Adelaide Fringe rocking the city. Mad March a multi-million-dollar moneymaker and Sheeran has hotels cheerin’ – SA Tourism New South Australian Tourism Commission statistics show that just over the three days of the March long weekend, an estimated $128 million has been spent …
Nicole Walker In a significant milestone in the 50th anniversary year of Australasian event management company Arinex, around 55 team members will gather in Cairns next week for their first face-to-face conference. The Arinex Conference will be held at the Cairns Convention Centre from Monday (27 Mar). This carbon neutral event will feature three days of presentations and workshops, followed by eco-certified tours of the World Heritage-listed tropical rainforests …
The Event Awards has released the opportunity to host its prestigious Ceremony and the associated Event Symposium to all Australian destinations, venues, States and Territories for 2023, 2024 and 2025. “This is a terrific opportunity for regions, destinations, new and established venues, attractions and accommodation providers to showcase what they have to offer to the key decision makers in the $17bn Aussie events business and thereby snare new events …
Exhibitors and buyers are lining up to be part of New Zealand’s premier business events showcase, MEETINGS 2023 run by Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) on 21 and 22 June in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington. Over 200 stands have been booked, including 18 exhibitors who will take part in the first MEETINGS to be held Wellington at the brand new Tākina – Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre. MEETINGS, now in its …
Australian Regional Tourism is pleased to announce that the City of Newcastle will be hosting the 2023 Australian Regional Tourism Convention (ARTC) to be held 10 – 12 October 2023. It has been a highly competitive environment to attract the convention, and this announcement follows a successful submission by the City of Newcastle. Newcastle is renowned for its innovative and creative community and vibrant cultural history. The convention presents …
A major milestone in the lead up to opening of Tākina was celebrated this week with Wellington City Council receiving the keys to its new convention centre. The venue will officially open end of May, with the test events taking place earlier in May. Taranaki Whānui representatives, as mana whenua, attended the ceremony to officially bless the building prior to occupation. Tākina, meaning ‘to invoke or encounter’, was gifted by …
MEA’s mentor program is back to once again connect event professionals across the country in its tried and proven capacity for fostering skill and expertise sharing, and enhancing career progression prospects. This time it’s being done with the support of long-time MEA friend, EventsAir, who will sponsor the program in 2023. Successful applicant mentees will be purposely matched based on their unique objectives with an industry expert who’ll provide valuable …
What a weekend! – Sydney is alive again thanks to World Pride. And on Saturday night it was great to be back on the sidelines covering the Mardi Gras parade (more on that next week). Heading back to Central after the parade it was great to come across impromptu street parties. But it is not only my home city that has come back to life – Melbourne was bubbling with …
I’ve now attended around 25 welcome functions for AIME and like all events there are a few simple things that make the successful ones stand out. Arrival – a few visual clues for the guests that they have arrived, usually in the form of colourful signage and walk around entertainers. Entry into the venue – do not line up waitstaff with drinks at the entrance. It might look good but …
Australia’s leading conference for event professionals, Evolve 2023 will descend on the Gold Coast over Wednesday 7 – Thursday 8 June 2023 for what’s shaping as a fantastic 1½ day program of learning and professional development, across a blend of plenary and breakout sessions that are being designed to position delegates for ‘succeeding through leadership, empowerment and connection’. Registration is now possible via the event website – www.evolve2023.com.au – which …
I asked ChatGPT to write a history of AIME – this is what came back. I’m interested in your thoughts, comments and fact checking – my thoughts are in brackets The Asia Pacific Incentive and Meetings Expo (AIME) is an annual trade show for the meetings and events industry held in Melbourne, Australia. The event was first established in 1992 (not 1993?) and has since become one of the leading …
Let’s face it AIME has had its ups and downs over the previous 30 years (as I reflected in the lead up) so it was great to feel such a positive vibe last week. The buyers from around the world were back and the exhibitor space increased by 40% over the 2019 show. Worst quote of AIME – “Gathering together again is infectious” (OK I won’t name who said it …
The New Zealand stand at this week’s AIME trade show sets a benchmark for a more sustainable future. Tourism New Zealand General Manager NZ & Business Events Bjoern Spreitzer says New Zealand’s business events professionals are wearing Tiaki t-shirts at AIME, and that ethos is echoed in the exhibition stand itself. “Tiaki means to care for people, place and culture, and within that lies a strong sustainability message. It’s important …
Gold Coast’s brand-new eBook The Imagination Collective has been unveiled at Asia Pacific’s leading trade event for the meetings and event industry as Destination Gold Coast launches the next phase of its business events strategy to profile the city’s changing profile as a hub for innovation. Business leaders, entrepreneurs, academics and industry experts are the first to be featured in the inaugural version of the free eBook, The Imagination Collective, …
Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre has taken the next step in its sustainability journey, drafting an agreement with Toitū Envirocare as the Centre commits to reducing its environmental footprint. The agreement is to join and work towards to being a certified Toitū net carbonzero organisation. This commitment underscores the seriousness with which the Centre is approaching its environmental obligations. Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre General Manager Ross Steele says …
BESydney has welcomed a new Independent Director, Amy Glancey, to the strategic event bidding organisation’s Board. Announcing the appointment, BESydney Chair The Hon. Bruce Baird AM said, “Throughout the comprehensive search process, Amy was a standout, bringing a fresh perspective as well as a unique skill-set and connectivity to the tech sector globally, which is a priority growth area for our business.” As Chief of Staff at Atlassian since 2018, …
Tourism Australia has announced Adelaide will be the host city for Dreamtime 2023, its signature incentive showcase designed to increase awareness of and interest in Australia as an outstanding business events destination. The Showcase will be the first Dreamtime held since 2019 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and will provide the Australian industry with the opportunity to reignite relationships with qualified buyers from Greater China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, …
Today I’m packing to head to Melbourne for AIME. I always try to get down on the Saturday to take in Melbourne offerings (my favourite was White Night). Tomorrow I’m off to the NGV for the Alexander McQueen exhibition. Then on Sunday the heat is on with media commitments up to and through the two days of the expo. And apparently I’m not the only one looking forward to meeting …
The fourth quarter of 2022 wrapped up the corporate travel industry’s year of recovery, kept buoyant by strong growth in both Q2 and Q3, with specialists FCM Meetings & Events highlighting a stark drop in interest for both virtual and hybrid events last year. Data showed by the end of 2022, clients planning for virtual and hybrid conferences had dropped by 75 per cent compared to 2021, the clearest sign …
First up… Congratulations to two event industry figures named in the Australia Day honours list Anthony BASTIC AM – For significant service to the special events industry and Gregory Kenneth BOWMAN OAM – For service to the tourism and hospitality industry. A united voice for Business Events? At the height of COVID lockdowns the entire event industry (not just business events) struggled to get a voice to government. One of the …
This year AIME celebrates 30 years and I reckon I have attended around 25 of them. At that time of the first AIME in 1993 I was working as a production manager and lighting designer on mostly corporate events and fashion parades. I attended AIME a few times in the late 90s as an interested punter, and then after I launched Australasian Special Events I have attended each year since …
The Australian Convention Centre Group (ACCG), comprising representatives from the nation’s leading convention and exhibition centres, have passed a resolution to support the amalgamation of relevant industry associations, in the interest of the broader event sector. This follows a similar resolution by the Exhibitions and Events Association of Australia (EEAA) in December, when EEAA members unanimously moved a motion to allow its Board to merge with the Association of Australian …
The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) team, in partnership with the Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB), are delighted to announce that Marvel Stadium will play host to the much-loved AIME Welcome Event on Monday, 13 February 2023. Located in the heart of Melbourne and renowned for staging AFL, A-League and BBL action under their famous retractable roof, Marvel Stadium will welcome AIME delegates with a ground-breaking evening of food …
Today, the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux (AACB) held a special general meeting of its members to vote on the future representation of Australia’s business events industry, and the result was unanimous. AACB’s members have supported a special resolution to establish a new well-resourced peak body, representative of the entire business events community across Australia, together with the Australian Convention Centres Group (ACCG) and the Exhibition and Events Association of …
Anthony BASTIC AM – For significant service to the special events industry. Anthony is best known as the creator (with Mary-Anne Kyriakou) of Vivid Sydney in 2009. His company, agb events, then went on to curate and produce the Vivid Light Walk for 10 years. Anthony produced the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2018 Invictus games and has produced hundreds of mostly lighting and projection based events including Parrtjima …
From the archive – first published in 2000 The Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games were hailed as the greatest Games ever staged. When the world stopped to watch Sydney take centre stage everything went according to plan, and the atmosphere generated for athletes and spectators was unforgettably electric. Great Big Events played a major role is fostering this atmosphere. Managing Director, Greg Bowman, was the Executive Producer of Sport …
Tasmanian motorsport lovers are shocked at the news of the cancellation of the Longford Grand Prix Expo less than two months out from its debut. The event organiser DX Industries cited difficult economic conditions, including ongoing supply chain shortages, infrastructure costs and labour shortages. But who are DX Industries? According to their website “The motorsport industries (sic) first and only true turn-key service and framework provider. With a rich 25+ …
This time last year we were all approaching 2022 with uncertainty. Could COVID still derail the event industry? Are lockdowns truly over? Will events bounce back? Should we put on more staff? Yes, lockdowns were over and events did bounce back. But finding staff then became an ongoing issue. And yes COVID was (and is) still a disruptor. I, like many others succumbed and was out of action for two …
Evolve 2023 will make its return to the Gold Coast, across Wednesday 7 – Thursday 8 June 2023 with the support of Destination Gold Coast.
The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event announced details of its highly anticipated Knowledge Program for 2023 which will include an address from Australian tennis star, Jelena Dokic. The Knowledge Program will launch AIME on 13 February 2023. It will see a mix of industry business leaders and renowned professionals as well as keynote speakers from Saxton Speakers Bureau (Saxton) and ICMI Speakers & Entertainers (ICMI). This is in addition …
COVID devastated what was a thriving and successful industry. The ramifications of the crisis rippled out and was experienced by event professionals physically, mentally and emotionally. While the crux of the crisis has passed, its effects are still felt within the mind and hearts of our most valued people. Tim Jack Adams Research reveals that people are feeling more disconnected from themselves, each other and the planet than ever before …
And so 2022 draws to a close. At the beginning of this year the event industry was still looking at an uncertain future. Although going back into lockdown was unlikely it could not be ruled out. The big question was – would business confidence return, and with it, events? Anecdotally, that confidence, and events, did return – but with shortened time frames. The short booking times were then compounded by …
Lateral Events, the multi-award winning, independent, creative and diverse full-service event management company, celebrates 25 years with a change in ownership. Simon Baggs will assume the role of Chairman, stepping down from his CEO role, and moving to working four-days-a-week from January 2023 onwards. General Manager Megan Peters has been promoted to CEO. Simon Baggs has gifted half the company to long standing senior executives: Megan Peters Director CEO Jette …
In a fantastic celebration of the Australian events industry, event venue Sydney Showground was awarded Best Venue Team at the 2022 Exhibitions & Events Association of Australasia (EEAA) Awards for Excellence for their work on the 2021 Sydney Royal Easter Show. Announced as a finalist in both the Best Venue Team and Best Sustainability Initiative categories, the team were delighted to be recognised for their ground-breaking work on the iconic event. …
Expertise Events just closed the door on their 26th live event across four states and one territory this calendar year, quite an achievement for a small family business!
Australia’s leading conference for event professionals, Evolve 2023 will return to one of the world’s fastest growing regions, the Gold Coast, for the first time since 2006 on Wednesday 7 – Thursday 8 June 2023.
For over 30 years, Meetings & Events Australia (MEA)’s Awards Program has celebrated the best of the best across the latitude of the greater Australian events industry. MEA is delighted to announce the launch of its 2021-2022 Awards Program, which has an extended qualifying period of 24-months (to the regular 12-months) to ensure outstanding work of individuals and businesses in the delivery of events during both 2021 and 2022 can …
Premier event venue, Sydney Showground, has launched its new food and beverage menu today, with the organisation elevating its connection to premier wine, dairy and fine food brand Sydney Royal. Launched at an intimate event hosted by Sydney Showground General Manager Darryl Jeffrey and Director of Food and Beverage James Farr, industry guests were treated to a showcase of the venue’s new menu, including a brief Q&A with representatives …
The Australian Event Awards delivered a night to remember on Wednesday night by recognising the best Australian events and achievements that took place in the 12 months prior to 30 June 2022 aboard The Jackson yacht on Sydney Harbour. Among the winners on the night were Vivid Sydney 2022 who won Best Public Event, North Australian Festival of Arts 2022 who took home Best Regional Event and Summer X Salt …
Events are back but is the industry at risk again? COVID? What COVID? Everyone in the industry knows that events are going gangbusters at the moment. A combination of pent up demand and the catch up of postponed events. This has led to a shortage of staff across the board. Jobs boards are loaded with offers for event staff, technicians, catering staff and almost any other event job you can …
Everyone in the industry knows that events are going gangbusters at the moment. A combination of pent up demand and the catch up of postponed events. This has led to a shortage of staff across the board. Jobs boards are loaded with offers for event staff, technicians, catering staff and almost any other event job you can think of. Interestingly not for security, which must be the cushiest job at …
In addition to being AIMEbassador for AIME 2023, Paula Rowntree is Head of Events, Australian Psychological Society and Founder, The Business Events Network. Paula Rowntree She is a passionate advocate for the power of business events to create long-term economic and sustainable impact. As a leader within the business event and association/not-for-profit sectors, with more than 30 years’ experience, Paula works with organisations to successfully design, develop and implement business …
Roslyn McLeod OAM, Founder of Professional Conference Organisation Arinex, has been presented with an Honorary Membership of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). The prestigious global award was announced at the 61st ICCA Congress in Krakow, Poland. Roslyn McLeod OAM ICCA President James Rees said the status of Honorary Membership is reserved for a small number of retired individuals who have given particularly strong service to the association. “Usually, …
I made a brief visit to Sydney CBD last weekend and felt quite a buzz. Following lockdowns and wet weather it great to see so many people around again. Going behind the scenes of events We know what goes on behind the scenes of our events but how much do our guests know about what needs to be done to pull a successful event together. The ABC spent a year …
Nicole Tingey has been elected Society for Incentive Travel Excellence Australia and New Zealand president, replacing Colette Baini who steps down after a two year term. Nicole was most recently SITE ANZ VP of Sponsorship, working with other board members to successfully deliver the inaugural SITE ANZ Conference in Sydney in 2022.
In announcing the move, Gary Fitz-Roy, the company’s founder said, “To a large extent, especially during the last passage of time, Zac, like all of us, has had to perform a number of cross over responsibilities so this is natural progression and makes way for him to take over the running of the business.”
To me tourism falls into three broad categories – 1 visiting natural attractions, 2 visiting man-made attractions and 3 events. Yes there are international and local visitors, business and leisure visitors – but essentially wherever they come from, and whether it is for business or leisure, visitors travel for one of those reasons. I would love to see a breakdown of where visitor dollars are spent because I would guess …
The winds of time are changing too quickly while we struggle to recover. The announcement this week of the sale of Exponet is significant and it reminds me how in the last three years so much of the business events sector has seen accelerated change and how much knowledge and relationships are leaving the industry. A combination of companies closing, mergers, acquisitions and retirement or management replacements pretty well covers …
The Grey Nomad Awards has launched two new gongs for 2022 – one that recognises those caravan and camping spots where Fido also has fun and another for stays that allow travellers to choose their own RV site. The two new categories, officially called the Best Grey Nomad Dog Friendly Stay and the BestGrey Nomad Freedom Stay, form part of the full suite of 12 categories in the 2022 Grey …
The Australian Regional Tourism Convention, convened by ART, was held in Ballarat last week, incorporating the inaugural Australian Agritourism Conference. Here’s 10 surprising take-aways in the eyes of the Grey Nomad Awards’ team from this gathering of regional tourism leaders: 1. Outbound travel will increase far faster than inbound. That’s right, there’s more Australians travelling overseas for holidays than internationals arriving here. Why? Very limited airline capacities are making flights …
Welcome to the wrap. Remember back in January I published an article looking at where the money from the Business Events Grant scheme went? Who benefited from the 2020 Business Events Grants Scheme? You may remember that the biggest recipient was an arms expo – Land Forces. Well, investigative reporter Callum Foote has had a look at that expo and it makes for interesting reading. What do you think the …
Back in 2020 I declared that if anything, the overall government response to COVID proved once and for all that the Australian Federation is fucked. Essentially Australia has eight different jurisdictions (the feds, six states and two territories) doing things in different ways. This is most apparent in health in regards to data collection, analysing and reporting. During 2020 and 21 we were getting lots of data regarding the pandemic …
The Hon. John Brumby AO, Chair of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Trust, has today announced the appointment of Natalie O’Brien AM as Chief Executive of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC). Natalie O’Brien AM Ms O’Brien joins the business in January 2023 and brings a wealth of leadership experience in the tourism and events industry. She is a former CEO of Food and Wine Victoria, producers of Australia’s …
Nominees Released for Event Awards 2022 Today, the expert judging panel announced the best Events in Australia, together with a host of achievements and companies that make up the nominees for the Australian Event Awards 2022. Major events such as Vivid Sydney 2022, The Bloody Long Walk National Series 2021/2022 and Sky Song 2022 as well as many other Events, Achievements and Technologies have earned their nominee status. Featuring in …
Tourism Portfolio is celebrating 20 years this month, with founder Donna Kessler reflecting on the challenges and successes and the changing face of the business events sector. Ms Kessler founded the representation company a little over 12 months after the 2001 September 11 terrorist attacks with her first client being the Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre which is still with her today. Donna Kessler with her MEA Award in …
It appears that many Australian event producers were pretty impressed by the funeral of QEII. I didn’t get to watch it live because I had a job on that night and I’ve only just had a chance to catch it on iView. It was certainly spectacular, and precise. So a couple of observations… Planning for this event has been going on for at least five years – so it was …
Australia’s peak industry body uniting various business events industry segments, the Business Events Council of Australia (BECA), is leading a review to explore the opportunity to create a larger, more impactful, and sustainable organisation to better represent the interests of the business events industry. Business events are highly valuable to the Australian economy, providing $36 billion in economic contribution in FY19, and supporting the visitor and knowledge economies. Business events …
In three short years the world has seen more changes and impacts than most of us have seen in our lifetime! A lot has been written post covid about how things have changed and will continue to change. However, perhaps the biggest change is how we communicate, how we consume news and information and how we stay in touch. The biggest shift has been to social media! The longer term …
Owner and Managing Director of ICMS Australasia, Emma Bowyer, has been named a Finalist in the Woman of the Year – Business Services category in the 19th annual Stevie® Awards for Women in Business. Winners will be announced in Las Vegas in November. The Stevie Awards for Women in Business honour women executives, entrepreneurs, employees and the companies they run – worldwide. The Stevie Awards have been hailed as the …
Over 4 billion people watched the Queen’s funeral, making the event the most watched broadcast in history; even more than Princess Diana’s funeral and the moon landing by Apollo 11. There was no avoiding it unless you were watching Channel 10. There have, of course, been other amazing events over the centuries. I’m sure getting all of those animals on Noah’s Ark was logistically challenging and the official opening of …
Event industry coming to terms with snap public holiday. The snap public holiday to mark the “National Day of Mourning for Her Majesty The Queen” – yes that is what the holiday is officially known as – is having a severe impact on the event industry. Events planned for next Thursday will now incur unbudgeted costs for staff penalty rates. ASE ran a quick check with some venues and event …
Victoria’s National Business Event Program is back: Applications Now Open – Cash grants available to offset organisers costs for business events hosted in Melbourne and regional Victoria – Applications are now open for the next round of the National Business Events Program, offering eligible event organisers cash grants to offset costs for hosting events anywhere in Victoria. The third round of the funding initiative aims to sustain growing momentum across …
Technical Direction Company has a newly focused training and support initiative to support students and graduates of the VET (Diploma of Live Production and Technical Services) and BFA (Technical Theatre and Stage Management) courses at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney. Students and graduates are given practical experience with a variety of today’s video technologies and entertainment industry best practice. “TDC is one of NIDA’s major partners,” …
I was very fortunate to be involved with three events attended by Her Majesty the Queen and have vivid memories of some memorable moments from behind the scenes, which no one would know actually happened. The first event was the official reception before the Opening Ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games. We were briefed by the Palace organising team to please have a waiter on standby with G&T in case …
Expertise Events has thrown its weight behind Lifeline Australia, announcing that they will raise awareness of mental health issues, create change and drive financial support for the service. Expertise Events Managing Director Gary Fitz-Roy said the decision to support Lifeline directly recognised the longer-term impact of the pandemic on health and mental well-being and the challenges of adjusting to a post-pandemic world. Gary Fitz-Roy Lifeline Australia’s Senior Partnerships Manager, Teli …
“Every success story is a tale of constant adaption, revision and change”. Sir Richard Branson The market has changed. What we buy has changed. The way we shop has changed. As an industry are we making enough changes to ensure we are in step with revitalising new sales opportunities and creating new experiences to reset the stage for opportunities to sell, get new leads, grow databases and make connections? Dovetailed …
Business Events Grants Program Back when we were investigating the Business Events Grants Program we raised the issue of who designed the scheme, and why the industry was not consulted. Judging by the revelations that Morrison wanted to be the minister for everything we can now assume that our assumption that it came out of the previous PMs Office is the most likely scenario. Let’s hope the new government is …
My favourite marketer has another great post this week and I think this line should be writ large on the wall of every event manager… “How do you get these ideas? Question everything.” To my mind every event is either marketing or tourism, or both. So if you want your event to be a success you need great ideas, and great ideas are found when you – question everything. So …
It’s been interesting to see the Queensland and NSW governments played off against each other by NRL boss Peter V’landys. The Courier Mail reported the NRL would make $10 million in revenue if the Grand Final was played at Suncorp Stadium, compared to $7 million if it was held in Sydney. The NSW government also offered a last ditch offer of $8 million a year for Accor Stadium to host …
We often focus on environmental aspects of sustainable events, but social capital – referring to diversity, equity, access and inclusion – is another important sustainability pillar. Diverse and inclusive events consider a variety of aspects including age, mental and physical ability, culture, religion, gender identity and language. Here, Arinex Managing Director Nicole Walker gives 10 tips for a more inclusive event. Nicole Walker – photo Oneil Photographics 1.Start with a …
The Gympie Music Muster enhances its community engagement again this year, giving opportunities for our young students to get hands-on educational experiences. The Muster welcomes Year 11 and 12 Certificate III tourism students from James Nash State High School and Diploma of Music – Sound Production TAFE Queensland students from Brisbane, who will gain experience in hospitality, service and live music production. After eight years of studying the Muster as …
Fast factsWhat: Perth 5 Star Event Industry ReSparkWhere: Frasers State Reception Centre, Kings Park, PerthWhen: Wednesday 13th JulyWho: High End Corporate clients and members of the Event Industry. Over 300 guests in attendance The brief To bring together the top end of the events industry to provide a memorable experience to remind top corporate clients of what they have been unable to do over the COVID period. The objective …
Is there light at the end of the COVID tunnel? Positive news reports this week from the Chief Health Officer and the Minister for Health. On RN this morning the Federal Health Minister, Mark Butler told Patricia Karvelas “We’ve been watching these data for a few days now. They’ve been dropping off for a little while and really importantly, the hospital numbers have been dropping off for a number of …
Readers are very aware I have been concerned about what I consider to be price gouging led by a couple of the main contractors in the expo supply chain. I have become aware that one company has been encouraging other contractors to increase their pricing to a common price point – which I thought is illegal! The silly thing is, just like the story of a cancelled show citing covid, …
After an extremely popular showing, the inaugural Luna Light Journey, AURORA, wrapped up on Saturday, July 23 after a 4-week run over the school holidays. AURORA, an outdoor, journey-style light show, transformed the Albury Botanic Gardens and revealed nature’s vibrant spirit in a kaleidoscope of colours with the use of lasers, holograms, vivid lighting, digital artistry, immersive soundscapes, and many other sensory mediums. Over 60,000 patrons from the community and …
It is the first thing visitors see upon arrival, creating an inviting vibe and setting the scene for a great stay – and now you can showcase it on the national stage. The Best Entrance Art promotes the special place that many gateway sculptures, murals and artworks hold in the hearts of their communities. Director of Australian Street Art Awards, Kim Morgan, said “Often entrance art incorporates people, animals or events …
I was listening to an interesting podcast between Joe Rogan and Silicon Valley Billionaire Marc Andreessen, founder of Netscape and now Duolingo, the largest language platform on the planet. Andreessen was one of six inductees in the World Wide Web Hall of Fame announced at the First International Conference on the World-Wide Web in 1994. Tim Jack Adams Prior to COVID his 500 + team was headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania working solely from the office. Now, they …
Tourism Australia’s latest research confirms the levels of confidence and comfort for event planning across Australia continues to grow. With 84 per cent of business decision makers now planning events within the next 6 to 12 months (up 13 percent from February 2022), the confidence of Australia’s domestic business events sector is the highest it has been since the pandemic began. Decision makers are showing a clear desire to return …
Following the announcement from a ‘mainstream organiser’ that an event planned to run in the next month has been cancelled – under the guise of ‘COVID concerns’ – I feel we should all be angry. This decision, based on no actual health requirement not to proceed, completely undermines the fight that many of us have taken on over the past few years. As an industry we have maintained that our …
First up – events are back and businesses are recruiting so I’ve introduced a jobs board with an introductory offer of $70 per listing. Your listing will appear on the ASE site for 30 days (or until the job is filled) and will be promoted via the weekly update. And since you are about to ask – the ASE email posts currently go to 3666 recipients (mostly in Australia). Lodge …
The event industry is once again being affected by COVID as governments and unions call for working from home where possible, with the flow on effect on events of all sizes. As we know working from home is not practical for 80% of the time when it comes to events. Sure events can be planned from home but they cannot be delivered from home. The core premise of the events …
This week around 40 industry people got together for a Christmas in July dinner in Sydney. This ad-hoc group started with ex ISES members getting together a few years ago for a Christmas dinner, and as some of us are still working and not able to attend in December it was decided to opt for a Christmas in July. John Rohanna acted as MC and Meri Took ran a trivia …
The much-anticipated William Angliss Institute Open Day returns to the Melbourne CBD campus on Saturday 13 August 10am – 3pm headlined by Angliss alumni, Shannon Bennett. Prospective students will experience immersive masterclasses, industry panel discussions, demonstrations, alumni food trucks and hear from a special keynote speaker. MasterChef judge and mentor, author, restaurateur and former creative director of Vue Group, Shannon Bennett undertook a Commercial Cookery apprenticeship at Angliss in 1991, …
Is now the right time to come together? Once upon a time, when the world was a very different place, when marketing budgets meant that if a company wanted to spend a million dollars on a gala dinner without being scrutinized for it and did, we could afford to be working in an industry with so many disparate parts. Donna Kessler This was a time when attending an exhibition meant …
November wrap
It’s been a few weeks since I’ve done an update and for good reason. Like the rest of the event industry my photography business is currently flat out. So here is my wrap for November so far and I’ll wrap again before Christmas. Last month our industry lost a true gentleman when Mark Magennis lost his battle with cancer. As co-owner of Decorative Events & Exhibitions, Mark was a …