FUTURE LEADERS ANNOUNCED: Winners focus on recovery and sustainability of Australia’s business events industry
The Association of Australian Convention Bureaux (AACB) is pleased to announce the 2021/22 AACB Staff Scholarships have been awarded to Isabella Fiore, Business Development Coordinator at Business Events Perth as well as Claudia Baranski, Business Development Manager and Dana Broekhuizen, Sales and Marketing Executive from Business Events Geelong.
For the second year running the scholarship program reflects crisis recovery to support the rebound and recovery of Australia’s business events industry. “The scholarship embodies our ongoing commitment to providing bureau staff with opportunities to demonstrate their dedication to the business events industry. Congratulations Isabella, Claudia and Dana” said AACB CEO Andrew Hiebl.
Each bureau will receive a $3,300 grant for their scholarship recipients to undertake their proposed research project to support building confidence within Australia’s business events marketplace.
Isabella’s winning proposal ‘Understanding the need for sustainability in the rebound and recovery of the business events industry’, will endeavour to understand how the sustainably conscious delegate understands their impact on environmental and socio-cultural sustainability as well as their motivations to travel to a destination for a business event.
Claudia and Dana’s joint proposal ‘Looking Globally, The Future of Events is Already Happening - A Roadmap for Recovery’ is based on conducting market research to identify strategies and insights from comparable convention bureaux globally, who have demonstrated success in their recovery efforts and crisis rebound from COVID-19. These insights will form a recovery strategy roadmap with recommendations to consider in a post-COVID world.
The scholarship is sponsored by Business Events Australia who recognise the important role that convention bureaux play in attracting business events to Australia and therefore see this scholarship as an investment in the future leadership of the industry.
Robin Mack, Executive General Manager, Commercial and Business Events Australia at Tourism Australia, congratulated the recipients on their winning proposals. “Tourism Australia through its Business Events Australia programs is very proud to support the future development of our industry, especially during these uncertain times, to ensure Australia remains a competitive business events destination internationally. Congratulations to Isabella, Claudia and Dana and we look forward to seeing the outcomes of the projects,” said Mr Mack.
Upon receiving the award yesterday Isabella was extremely grateful to AACB and Business Events Australia for the opportunity to create foundations for a more sustainable business events industry.
Claudia and Danaare also excited to undergo their joint research project to help Australia’s regional convention bureaux with their rebound into a post-COVID world.
Further details about the prestigious AACB Staff Scholarship program, including past recipients is available here.
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The following quotes are attributable to 2021/22 AACB Staff Scholarship recipients:
Isabella Fiore, Business Development Coordinator, Business Events Perth
“The execution of this project will not only assist with the recovery of our industry but will play a major role in developing the sustainability actions in Western Australia and assist Business Events Perth in its contribution to the Global Destination Sustainability movement”.
Claudia Baranski, Business Development Manager, Business Events Geelong
“We are really looking forward to undertaking our project, which will focus on collaborating and bringing together insights from smaller destination bureaux across the world, in a bid to create a roadmap for business events in their rebound post COVID-19”.
Dana Broekhuizen, Sales and Marketing Executive, Business Events Geelong
“The AACB staff scholarship is such an excellent opportunity to be a part of the recovery for business events. I am excited to research proven global strategies, collaborate within our industry, produce concrete insights, and contribute to the industry we are so passionate about”.
Image (L-R): Isabella Fiore, Business Development Coordinator at Business Events Perth, Claudia Baranski, Business Development Manager and Dana Broekhuizen, Sales and Marketing Executive from Business Events Geelong.
This article was featured in:
- The Nibbler: AACB announces staff schloarship winners for 2021-22, 1 November 2021
- CIM Business Events: Sustainability and recovery focus for AACB scholarship winners, 1 November 2021
- Micenet: AACB scholarship winners announced as focus remains on pandemic recovery, 2 November 2021