Queensland Surpasses NSW as Australia's Top Conference Destination 

05/02/2025

 


The Global Meeting & Event Landscape 

08/01/25

Driven by innovation, changing consumer priorities, and global challenges, the meetings and events industry is evolving rapidly. Catherine Chaulet, President and CEO of Global DMC Partners, observes broader business and industry trends from her global perspective leading the largest network of independent Destination Management Companies (DMCs). She recently highlighted 10 key predictions for meetings and events professionals for 2025.

Chaulet notes that the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) industry is moving towards a future that values intentionality, resilience, and sustainability while balancing the transformative potential of technology with the irreplaceable power of human connection. Planners will focus on creating meaningful, forward-thinking events.

Key Trends for 2025:

  1. Diverse Destinations: Planners are opting for new and exotic locations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. To combat overtourism, lesser-known regions are being promoted, such as areas beyond Lisbon in Portugal.

  2. Supply Chain Challenges: Hotels, airlines, and A/V providers face ongoing supply issues, resulting in no price reductions. Planners are choosing 4-star properties over 5-star ones to manage budgets better.

  3. Geopolitical Uncertainty: Tensions and economic pressures drive last-minute decisions, with flexibility being crucial to avoid cancellations.

  4. Expanded Seasonality: Previously off-season regions are now viable year-round, helping avoid peak pricing and offering desirable experiences.

  5. Sustainability: MICE events are becoming key drivers of sustainable tourism, focusing on reducing waste and supporting local economies.

  6. AI and Creativity: Artificial intelligence enhances event experiences with personalized itineraries and creative engagement tools, ensuring technology complements the human touch.

  7. Face-to-Face Interaction: Despite AI advancements, in-person networking remains vital for building relationships, fostering creativity, and driving innovation.

  8. Diverse and Multigenerational Attendees: Planners are accommodating diverse audiences with flexible seating, free time, self-guided activities, closed captioning, and virtual options.

  9. Extreme Wellness: Events are prioritizing high-performance living with advanced diagnostics, tailored recovery programs, and extreme self-care practices.

  10. Self-care and Fashion: Athleisure wear is rising at events, with attendees embracing comfortable yet stylish attire like company-branded sneakers.

Chaulet emphasizes that DMCs are essential partners for navigating these trends, offering local expertise, creative solutions, and logistical precision for impactful events.

The full article can be read here



Tourism Australia's top reasons in choosing event locations. 

11/12/24

The survey found that safety and security of the destination was the number one decision factor for both associations and incentives.

For incentives the rest of the top five destination decision drivers were value for money, the range of accommodation options, good food and beverage and quality business events facilities.

For further information please click here: Tourism Australia Article





Thriving Despite Challenges: Australian Travel on the Rise

21/10/24

The latest visitor results are in, and amidst challenging economic times, there's a silver lining for Australian travellers. Here's a snapshot of the key findings:

September Quarter 2024: Domestic Tourism Highlights

Despite the economic backdrop, domestic tourism remained stable in the September quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023:

  • Spend: Up by 1%, translating to an increase of $396 million.

  • Overnight Trips: Up by 3%, adding 790,000 more trips.

  • Nights Away: Down by 2%, a decrease of 2.5 million nights.

Business travel and trips to capital cities thrived in this quarter, though holiday travel and visits to regional areas saw a dip.

Year Ending September 2024: Annual Overview

The year ending September 2024 mirrored these trends when compared to the previous year:

  • Spend: Increased by 1%, a rise of $1.6 billion, reaching $110.3 billion.

  • Overnight Trips: Rose by 3%, adding 2.9 million more trips, totaling 114.5 million.

  • Nights Away: Decreased by 1%, down 5.5 million nights to 397.4 million.

These insights reveal a resilient domestic tourism sector, with business travel and urban visits leading the charge. The full report is available for download, providing a detailed look at these encouraging trends in Australian travel.

Further reading here.