Reports of the decline of Victoria’s events industry have been greatly exaggerated.
Yes, challenges exist – workforce shortages, shifting audience behaviours, and the aftershocks of Covid – but the idea that this industry is in freefall is not only misleading, it’s damaging. Negative headlines may grab attention, and sell papers, but they don’t tell the whole story. More importantly, they don’t help the thousands of professionals and businesses working tirelessly to deliver outstanding events every day.
Doom and gloom does not build industries
A recent article suggested Victoria is suffering an “exodus” of event organisers, pointing to ABS figures showing workforce decline. These statistics tell part of the story, but not the full one. The data doesn’t capture the agility of businesses that adapted, the new categories of event delivery that have emerged, the new job titles or the surge of growth in experiential and immersive formats.
In fact, specifically for Victoria, Melbourne increased its world ranking (ICCA) in 2024 from 35th to 31st. It was also ranked 5th in the world for the average size of event in terms of delegates.
The truth is that business events in Victoria – and across Australia – are not in retreat. They are in transformation.
COVID reshaped the industry, but what followed was reinvention. Businesses that embraced hybrid formats, new technologies, and more personalised experiences are thriving. From corporate conferences to exhibitions, business events and meetings, congresses to incentive programs, world-class events are happening here every day.
This is not an industry that can be written off. Nationally, business events generate over $36 billion in direct economic benefit each year and employ more than 229,000 people directly. This number does not include all the businesses and people who benefit from the ecosystem of events. Attendees spend almost twice as much as leisure visitors, benefiting hotels, restaurants, and suppliers across the state.
The ripple effects go further: business events underpin trade, investment, research collaboration, and knowledge exchange. When business events thrive, Australia thrives.
Stronger together
This is why the Australian Business Events Association (ABEA) was established: to be one strong, united voice for the sector. Division and negativity weaken us. Collaboration, advocacy, and optimism make us stronger.
ABEA’s role is to bring the full diversity of the industry together – venues to suppliers, bureaux to organisers and everyone in between to ensure our collective voice is heard in government, business, and the media. Our message is simple but powerful: we are stronger together.
Facing challenges head-on
That does not mean ignoring the issues. Workforce shortages remain the most pressing, requiring better training pathways and targeted immigration settings. Changing audience behaviours – later bookings, hybrid expectations, demand for immersive experiences – are realities we must design around. And new technologies such as AI are reshaping how we work.
But these are not signs of decline; they are catalysts for growth, reinvention, and resilience.
The narrative we tell about our industry matters. Stories of resilience, creativity, and momentum inspire confidence and investment.
That’s why it’s vital to highlight our many, many success stories. Across Victoria, and Australia companies are expanding, venues are reinventing themselves, and innovation is happening every day. This is the reality that deserves attention.
So, let us focus on opportunity. Let’s support one another, champion positive stories, and speak with one strong voice – because when we do, our industry and the sectors we support will benefit.
This article was first published on the Australian Business Events Association website.
Maybe instead of putting out broad, shallow responses like this, ABEA could strengthen its position by actually providing specific details of what has been achieved.
The challenge is that every time real data is raised – whether by media, ABS or industry stakeholders – ABEA seems to respond with generic lines about “positivity” and “transformation” but doesn’t back it up with measurable outcomes, clear initiatives, or tangible progress for members.
If ABEA wants to be seen as the strong united voice it claims to be, then it needs to do more than counter headlines with feel-good messaging. Demonstrating actual wins, policy shifts achieved, workforce programs implemented, or hard data on industry recovery would go much further in building confidence.
Otherwise, it risks looking reactive rather than proactive – only speaking up when someone else challenges the narrative, instead of leading it with facts, transparency, and evidence.
No one is saying that the Event Industry is in freefall. Here’s some context and a link to the article at the end so people can make up their own minds.
The recent ABS and TRA data deserves discussion.
The number of people working as event organisers in Victoria has dropped 38.8% since before the pandemic.
In contrast, NSW is back to the same numbers as before. Qld is 70% ahead.
There are now twice as many people working as event organisers in NSW than in VIC.
The TRA data shows that VIC has gone from being the clear leader for business events with about 36% marketshare to being third with 22%. A long way behind NSW and a little behind Qld.
These things were once unimaginable in Victoria.
Yet the ABEA statement says nothing to see here and fobs it off.
This data was shared widely in our industry nearly three weeks ago (with no controversy).
The Australian did eventually pick this up as it is an issue of public concern in Victoria – a state where events are integral to its identity and yet there is still no event policy.
The idea of a strong united voice is good. But if this strong united voice isn’t willing to speak up on the loss of 4,500 people and $4 billion in revenue, what is the point.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/change-in-postpandemic-behaviour-leads-to-victorian-event-organiser-exodus/news-story/1254c4e13abfd91b7a297cf006043c47