National Business Events Strategy
The National Business Events Strategy for Australia 2020 was conceived in February 2008 when the Minister for Resources, Energy and Tourism, the Hon Martin Ferguson AM MP, met with business events (BE) and tourism industry representatives.
Central to their discussions were the industry’s concerns about challenges and changes affecting Australia’s performance as a business events destination – now and into the future. The participants agreed to draft a strategy that would support the development of an internationally competitive industry and maximise its contribution to the Australian economy. To that end, a working group of key industry stakeholders was convened.
This publication is the result of their labours: a strategy that describes the composition of the BE industry; examines its economic importance to Australia; identifies market failures and opportunities; and provides a program of actions that can be taken collaboratively by industry and Government to achieve their shared vision of building a competitive and sustainable Business Events industry for Australia.
International engagement is a priority for the Australian Government which is keen to see Australia playing a bigger role in the community of nations, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. Other priority areas for the Australia Government relate to trade and the expansion of bilateral free trade agreements, a revolution in education, and the need for Australia to be more innovative.
The BE industry’s desires and strategies to strengthen its sector support and enhance the Australian Government’s own priorities. The industry’s principal goal is to:
Take a strong collaborative BE industry-Australian Government team approach to enable Australia to realise its full potential and build a competitive and sustainable Business Events industry.