Brisbane’s got the buzz for business events

Brisbane has kept busy during the past two years, securing 50 business events in 2021 that contribute almost AU$75m to the region. 2022 gets off to a strong start as well, with the first few months welcoming national and international conferences that contribute AU$4.2m to the economy. 

Brisbane Economic Development Agency’s (BEDA) CEO Anthony Ryan said that there is growing confidence in Brisbane’s event industry in 2022 due to its high national vaccination rates and the recent reopening of international borders. 

As the convention bureau for Brisbane, BEDA has kept the momentum going despite pandemic challenges. It has continued national and international bidding activity to drive foreign trade and investment, innovation, productivity, research collaboration and cultural exchange. 

“This year, Brisbane will continue to have a strong programme of events with the team present at upcoming national and international tradeshows and reinstating our client familiarisation programme,” said Ryan. 

“We anticipate in-person event attendance will increase in 2022 as people seek to reconnect and share knowledge and ideas across their industries once more, and we look forward to welcoming more visitors back to Brisbane.”

Between 2022 and 2026, over 90 business events are already confirmed for Brisbane, attracting more than 76,000 delegates - totalling 368,500 delegate days - and bringing multimillion-dollar benefits to Brisbane's visitor economy.

A green city for planners

Brisbane has committed to the green agenda with clear goals for the Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) Movement, said Lorelle Chittick, BEDA’s GM for Tourism, Business and Major Events. The index has shown positive results from Brisbane’s focus on green space, biodiversity and the circular economy.

Together with the Sustainability Action Plan for the city, the goal is to set meaningful KPIs that will change the way supplier relationships are formed in the events industry, said Chittick.

“We’ve found that a number of conference organisers and delegates want to go to a destination where they can leave a legacy or be part of something greater. For us, it's about connecting with enterprises that do meaningful work within our community and really looking at the way we run our events to minimise unnecessary things such as the use of plastics, for instance,” Chittick added.

This year, Brisbane will be hosting the 2022 Festival of Landscape Architecture in recognition of the city’s sustainable practices. It will attract over 400 landscape architects, urban designers, architects, town planners and policymakers to the city. 

The festival will enable delegates to experience the city’s green landscape. The city is also in the midst of various development projects. Highlights include the AU$3.6 billion Queen’s Wharf in Brisbane’s central business district. It includes the development of a 300m riverfront Mangrove Walk and ‘The Landing’, opposite South Bank, which will provide a new recreation and event space for the city, complemented by 6,500sqm of trees, grassy knolls and alfresco terraces.

Venues with green goals include Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, which has achieved the EarthCheck Platinum Certification that recognises environmental and social best practices. At South Brisbane, which offers 44 multipurpose event spaces, a food waste dehydration system reduces waste by 85 percent. The waste is also converted into fertiliser for the adjacent South Bank Parklands.

Hotel accommodations and tourism attractions for delegates similarly focus on various aspects of environmental conservation. 

At a city level, Brisbane City Council is Australia’s largest carbon-neutral organisation and is one of the biggest buyers of green power. The promotion of green buildings and modes of transportation are also key highlights for the city. A green bridge programme is currently underway to improve connectivity for pedestrians, cyclists and e-mobility vehicle users.