Celebrating a record year, the Club Melbourne Ambassadors Program (CMAP) continues to play a pivotal role in drawing world class business events to Melbourne.
Ambassadors, who are influential Melbournians in the science, medical, research and business fields, work with the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) and the Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB) to secure business events for Melbourne.
The 119 Ambassadors have been involved in securing 44 international conventions, half of the 88 secured for the Melbourne Convention Centre since it opened in July 2009.
Club Melbourne Ambassador and 2010 Australian of the Year Professor Patrick McGorry convened the first International Youth Mental Health Conference in July 2010, which attracted more than 800 delegates to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC).
MCEC’s chief executive Leigh Harry said the program continues to go from strength to strength and is recognised for its role in attracting international conferences and conventions.
“Thanks to the expertise, industry knowledge and contacts of the Club Melbourne Ambassadors, Melbourne continues to stand out as Australia’s business events capital,” Harry said.
With support of the community and the Governor of Victoria Professor David de Kretser, who regularly attends Club Melbourne events, the program continues to develop and will induct new Ambassadors in August 2011.
Club Melbourne Ambassadors, like recent Australia Day honours award winners Professor Hatem Salem and Professor Gregory Snell, are currently working on more than 200 convention leads.
MCVB’s CEO Sandra Chipchase said: “The Club Melbourne Ambassadors program celebrates the talent and achievements of Victoria’s leaders across a plethora of scientific, health, research and medical fields.
“We are privileged to work with such outstanding individuals to attract the world’s leading minds to Melbourne. With Ambassadors’ help, business events secured in the last financial year alone were worth more than $22.2 million for the Victorian State economy,” she said.
Business events generate $1.2 billion for the economy annually and showcase Melbourne’s expertise and innovation capabilities to the world.
