The Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson AM MP, today announced the members of the Business Events Strategy Implementation Group, which will work on strategies to ensure the sector is sustainable and internationally competitive for the next 20 years.
Minister Ferguson said that as one of Australia's three major tourist market segments - the others being leisure tourism and international education - business tourism must be pursued more vigorously.
Minister Ferguson said: "International conference delegates can spend more than five times as much as the leisure visitor. Australia has consistently rated among the top five destinations in the Asia-Pacific and destination studies show we are consistently seen as the number one destination to visit for business purposes, but we must not become complacent.
"The industry has developed A National Business Events Strategy for Australia 2020 which it believes will deliver on the goals of sustainability and competitiveness. Its recommendations relate to aviation, infrastructure, forecasting, export services, workforce skills, training and research.
"A number of the recommendations have already been implemented and others are being considered in the context of the National Long Term Tourism Strategy. The Government, through the Implementation Group, will now work with industry to assist with the implementation of recommendations from the Strategy."
The Implementation Group is:
- Jim Starkey (Chair), retired senior public servant with experience across central agencies;
- Sandra Chipchase, Association of Australian Convention Bureaux;
- Joyce DiMascio, Tourism Australia;
- Elizabeth Rich, the Business Events Council of Australia;
- Bill Healey, the Australian Hotels Association;
- Peter Yuile, Austrade;
- Vic Dobus, Tourism Research Australia;
- Linda Gaunt, Meetings and Events Australia;
- Evan Hall, the Tourism and Transport Forum;
- Robert Moore, Exhibition and Events Association of Australia; and
- Peter Tucker of the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism.
The Implementation Group will report to Minister Ferguson formally twice annually, with its final report due by 31 December 2010.