In the past few months, the Adelaide Convention Bureau has earned South Australia an impressive $18.3m in forecast economic benefit by way of winning the right to have Adelaide awarded the host city of 6 major international conferences.
These 6 wins take the benefit that the Convention Bureau has delivered to the state for the year to end June 2013 to a potential $100m (note these events will be held in the coming years). This figure also represents a remarkable 100:1 ROI to the State Government!
On the other hand, the value of events actually held in SA in the 2012/13 financial year (from bid wins won in past years) has topped $160m.
Damien Kitto, CEO, Adelaide Convention Bureau said ” these six conference bid wins are an exceptional result for the Bureau – especially considering the ever increasing resources our national and international competitors have access to. In the challenging times we are facing in Adelaide with reduced resources, to win the right for Adelaide to host these six events is testament to the strategic direction and sheer hard work being undertaken by the Convention Bureau Team, Team Adelaide industry partners and our *Conventions Adelaide Ambassadors”.
The six international conferences that have recently nominated Adelaide to be their host city are’
1. International Convention of Asian Scholars
o 4 days in August 2015
o 1250 delegates and $4.8 million in forecast economic benefit for the state
o Attracted in partnership with University of Adelaide and other key educational institutions
2. International Symposium on Supportive Care in Cancer
o 4 days in June 2016
o 1500 delegates and $5.8 million in forecast economic benefit
o Attracted in partnership with Health SA and SAHMRI
3. Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition
o 5 days in October 2014
o 600 delegates and $2.9 million in forecast economic benefit for the state
o A group effort between the Convention Bureau, the Convention Centre, SATC and DMITRE
4. An international food based symposium (name embargoed)
o 4 days in May 2017
o 200 delegates and $780K in forecast economic benefit
o Attracted in partnership with the Waite Institute
5. STEMFEST 2014, Global 29 STEM states
o 3 days in September 2014
o 250 delegates and $720K in forecast economic benefit
o Focus is on key science and mathematics theme in line with state government priorities
6. International science based conference (name embargoed)
o 4 days in July 2015
o 700 delegates and $3.3 million in forecast economic benefit
The Adelaide Convention Bureau often works strategically and collaboratively with relevant parties with a vested interest in the convention genre. Key partners include the South Australian Tourism Commission, Adelaide City Council and the Adelaide Convention Centre.
* Conventions Adelaide is an initiative of the Adelaide Convention Bureau whereby top level representatives from the corporate, public and educational sector are invited to act as ambassadors for South Australia and assist in identifying and bidding for convention and exhibition opportunities specific to their genre.
