Ministerial Recognition of Business Events Industry at 25th AACB Staff Conference
The Association of Australian Convention Bureaux (AACB) brought together top business events industry leaders and bureaux staff for the 25th annual staff conference from 27-29 August in the Whitsundays, Queensland.
The Hon Andrew Robb AO MP, Minister for Trade and Investment said in a statement to conference delegates, “The business events sector runs deeply across my portfolio. It is a significant driver of tourism, trade and investment in Australia. From my experience doing business around the world, I am convinced that business events provide sustained benefits to the economy.”
Robb continued, “Convention bureaux play a vital role in promoting our cities and regions to both domestic and international audiences. The AACB plays an important leadership role by providing a strong and unified voice for the sector.”
Delivering on one of AACB’s strategic goals, education, the staff conference focused on ‘Innovation: Making Clever Happen’ and provided opportunities to share knowledge, network connections and hear from industry experts.
Andrew Hiebl, Executive Director of AACB said, “With Australia’s convention bureaux being seen as global leaders from a bidding and marketing perspective, a culture of innovative thinking must be supported in order to remain internationally competitive.”
Hiebl continued, “The staff conference is designed to enhance professional development and foster stronger networks across the bureaux community. In addition, provide staff with the opportunity to gain tools and knowledge to identify industry opportunities and keep up to date with the latest global trends.”
Partnerships and collaboration were two very common themes discussed at the conference.
Michael Fuller, Strategic Communications Director of AACB said, “The staff conference offered a unique opportunity to see competitors in the same industry network, share ideas, and discuss trends and issues - working together in a friendly environment to grow the overall business events market in Australia.”
AACB is working with its members and strategic partners to raise the profile of the business events sector and looks forward to working more collaboratively with the Federal Government and its agencies in the areas of:
- International marketing in partnership with Tourism Australia and industry.
- Promoting Australia’s comparative advantage through Austrade by aligning business event bids with trade and investment priority areas.
- Maximising opportunities of future business events to best effect, that target the 5-pillar economy.
- Realising return on investment through increased innovation and productivity outcomes for Australia.
Hiebl reconfirmed AACB’s commitment to ensuring that Federal Government support international business event bids, stating that the time is right to position the sector as a key economic action strategy for the nation.
-ENDS-
This story was published in:
- CIM, Ministerial recognition of business events industry, 10 Sept 2014
- Australasian Special Events, Ministerial Recognition of Business Events Industry at 25th AACB Staff Conference, 10 Sept 2014
- ETB Travel News, Ministerial Recognition of Business Events Industry at 25th AACB Staff Conference, 12 Sept 2014
- cei, AACB gets a thumbs up, Recognition and support from Australian government, 29 Sept 2014