Gold Coast attracts nearly half of Queensland’s events market

Recent figures from the Queensland Business Events Survey have revealed that Gold Coast attracts 44% of all conferences in Queensland. In its last financial year, the region attracted $540mil (US$375mil) worth of business events, more than 3,000 meetings and 222,000 delegates.

While Gold Coast might traditionally fare as a leisure destination, it has managed to use its tourism attractions to also deliver a combination of meeting and accommodation venues and delegate experiences. According to Destination Gold Coast CEO Annaliese Battista, China and South East Asia have emerged more recently as core markets for international incentives and meetings.

“Our global appeal is on the rise and figures from the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), position the Gold Coast in fourth spot nationally – the only regional destination to rank so highly in Australia,” she said.

The survey also found that there was a higher number of average delegate per meeting for those attending Gold Coast conferences. “It’s the destination delegates hope their company or association will choose. Conference delegates love the winning blend of our sun-kissed beaches, rainforests, and attractions,” said Battista.

“Tourism is in our DNA and remains the Gold Coast’s main economic driver. Naturally, delegates are extended a warm welcome when they meet in our city, which also attributes to attracting higher delegate numbers.”

On top of that, Gold Coast recorded the highest average delegate stay in Queensland, with most business tourists typically spending 3.1 days there. “The city has tremendous appeal for working delegates to bring their family, extending their stay to enjoy our theme parks, attractions, beaches and restaurants,” said Battista. “Our data also shows these delegates often return for leisure purposes in the future.”