Attracting International Association Conference Delegates

15 August 2016

Tourism Australia released new research today on conference delegate behaviour that will assist Australia to deliver higher delegate numbers to association conferences held within the country.

“This research highlights the competitive advantages Australia has in business events tourism and gives industry insights on how to make the most of them,” said Australia’s the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Steven Ciobo.

“By providing industry with in-depth information on delegate behaviour, we are supporting their marketing efforts to be directed to the most effective activities.”

While there are a range of motivations for choosing to attend an international conference, the majority of delegates seek a balance between destination appeal and conference content.

Destination appeal is judged on a broad range of factors, including the ability to extend the trip beyond the conference and having a range of activities to experience including, food and wine, history, culture and iconic attractions.

“This is great news for Australia, with research showing that our country has high appeal, both as a business events destination and a highly desirable tourism destination,” Tourism Australia’s Managing Director, John O’Sullivan said.

The full association delegate research, including insights on the timeline of decision making, key considerations and barriers to travel, is available now at www.tourism.australia.com/BEresearch.