Three high-profile business events will be hosted in Melbourne, Australia thanks to the efforts of the Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) with support from the Victorian Government, City of Melbourne and Business Events Australia.

The 2022 editions of The International Trade Union Congress and The International Conference on Social Work in Health and Mental Health will be held in Victoria’s capital city as will The International Geographical Congress 2028.

Combined, these three high-profile business events will deliver a $24.8 million economic contribution to the state, almost 15,000 room nights to boost the Victorian hotel and accommodation sector and drive 3,750 delegates through the doors of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

“While we are presented with a challenging landscape. I’m pleased to say that MCB continues to secure international business events for Melbourne which will play a significant role in Victoria’s economic recovery in the years ahead,” says Julia Swanson, CEO, Melbourne Convention Bureau. “I’m pleased to say that MCB continues to secure international business events for Melbourne which will play a significant role in Victoria’s economic recovery in the years ahead.

“News of these timely wins will provide a boost in the sector, instill ongoing confidence in attracting international business events to Victoria, and acknowledge their positive impact on the visitor economy, including boosting hotel occupancy, visitation to attractions and restaurants and dispersal across regional Victoria.”

The business events sector has been significantly impacted by the necessary measures put in place to slow the spread of COVID-19. Since the onset of the pandemic, the majority of 2020’s events have been rescheduled, taking a toll on many players in the business events industry.

However, the MCB has won a number of international events for the coming years and is continuing to identify, negotiate and secure the business events pipeline spanning out as far as 2028.

Swanson also reports that MCB has worked with clients to reschedule their 2020 events, rather than cancel. “We’ve had success here, with 70 percent of planned events rescheduled to next year, subject to the opening timeline for Australia borders,” she says.