15th January 2018
business events news business events news
businesseventsnews.com.au
TASMANIA WELCOMES GROWTH PCO AFTER a year of highs in 2017, Business Events Tasmania is looking to capitalise on recent success in the year ahead. For 2018, the bureau has 71 business events confirmed so far, which will bring 17,554 delegates to Tasmania. Business Events Tasmania ceo Stuart Nettlefold said forward activity meant Tasmania would remain busy for business events. “We’re still working on a number of active bids. It’s very positive for us with the momentum ticking upwards,” Nettlefold said. Large conferences set to be held in 2018 include a Hong Kong incentive group with 600 delegates, while the Sweet Adelines Australia Annual Convention at Wrest Point in Hobart will also bring 600
Update
with Barry Neame
Global Industry Insights
delegates in May. The year ahead will also see the opening of the Peppers Silo Hotel in Launceston in Apr and the debut of Marriott International in Tasmania towards the end of the year. The Marriott will have a 128 rooms, located near Salamanca Place at Parliament Square. Looking back on 2017, Nettlefold said Sep to Nov were
good months for the convention bureau and the state, with several major national and int’l conferences occurring. “2017/18 is a very strong year based off our data, it allowed us to show what we offer from our venues, to the proximity of our small compact cities.” “There is also the walk-ability factor, combined with our natural assets,” he said.
Today’s issue of BEN
Cairns centre expansion plan
Business Events News today has one page of news. ORGANISERS of the North American Bitcoin Conference in Miami have said they will no longer accept bitcoin as payment for the US$1,000 tickets they’re selling. Turns out, the transaction fees and processing times associated with the volatile cryptocurrency are just too much of a burden. Organisers of the 3,000 delegate event claim they stopped accepting bitcoin because it was too slow with the amount of manual input. The event is on 18-19 Jan.
business events news www.businesseventsnews.com.au Business Events News is part of the Business Publishing Group family of publications. Business Events News is Australia’s newest online publication dedicated to the vibrant meetings, incentives, conferences and events sector.
Brisbane names convention gm JULIET Alabaster has been appointed general manager of the Brisbane Convention Bureau by Brisbane Marketing. Alabaster had been acting general manager for the past year, and has been with the bureau since Aug 2008. MEANWHILE, Brisbane Marketing has also named the bureau’s former general manager, Rob Nelson as its chief operating officer. EDITORIAL Editor in Chief and Publisher – Bruce Piper Managing Editor – Jon Murrie Contributors – Jasmine O’Donoghue, Guy Dundas, Matt Bell, Adam Bishop info@businesseventsnews.com.au
THE Qld Government has hinted that a proposed $1 billion “Global Tourism Hub” on the Cairns waterfront could be integrated with the planned $120 million expansion of the Cairns Convention Centre. Plans for the hub include a new casino in the Cairns City Port precinct, a location close to the convention centre. If given the go ahead, it would merge with a new 3,000m2 exhibition hall at the Cairns Convention Centre (BEN 17 Jul).
ADVERTISING AND MARKETING Sean Harrigan and Melanie Tchakmadjian advertising@businesseventsnews.com.au BUSINESS MANAGER Jenny Piper accounts@businesseventsnews.com.au
AS THE meetings world continues to change at pace, PCOs are inundated with new ideas on meeting design, learning styles, the latest tech tools and predictions of the ‘next big thing’. Jan Tonkin’s presentation at PCOA17 focused on how we can keep up with current shifts, and how to decide where we should invest our time and energy. Jan said the greatest need that she hears about facing our industry across the globe is known as the war for talent. It’s about attracting people into our business who can deliver conferences with a difference. Only by getting these right can we deliver true value for our clients – and keep our own businesses relevant for the future. Jan shares her thoughts in a post conference interview published on the PCO Association website home page pco.asn.au. Jan Tonkin is the Managing Director of the Conference Company with offices in Australia and NZ and President of IAPCO (International Association of Professional Congress Organisers).
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