The Western Australian business events industry is proving it can ‘event’ in an COVID-constrained environment, with business events in the State already underway.
In Western Australia, associations and corporates are in the fortunate position to start meeting face to face again, and local venues reopening after months of closure.
While the state’s borders remain closed, the local business events industry is throwing its efforts into developing new and innovative products that will comply with COVID safety requirements-so Western Australia can welcome back our interstate and international friends and colleagues when the time is right.
The local industry is investing in new technology, to ensure hybrid ‘hub and spoke’ events, like the Arinex’s Turn of Events this month, can be facilitated and ensure Western Australian associations and corporates can continue to participate in national conferences.
Western Australia’s official convention bureau, Business Events Perth, is continuing to work on securing international and interstate business events, with a number of recent successes. In an effort to support the local industry in the short-term it has pivoted to fund State-based events to get more local business events off the ground and support local jobs.
Under this new state-based initiative, Event Here This Year, funding support of up to $30,000 per event is available for business events held in Western Australia. This initiative has been welcomed by the local industry and has been responsible for converting a number of business events already. During this time of crisis for the industry, Business Events Perth was delighted with the Federal Government’s announcement of a $50 million support fund for the industry.
Business Events Perth chief executive Gareth Martin said the industry had been crippled by coronavirus impacts and this funding to reignite the sector and help restart the holding of business events across the country, was welcome news. “The business events sector has been one of the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic and the Prime Minister’s announcement of grants between $10,000 and $250,000 to stimulate the sector is a significant step on the road to recovery,” Mr Martin said. “Business events are a key economic driver to our economy, supporting thousands of jobs across a range of local businesses.”
The re-start of business events will not only be critical to the recovery of the visitor economy, it will also be important to Australia’s broader economic recovery. Business events are a front door for investment and trade and are a forum to collaborate and exchange knowledge and showcase Australia’s research and professional expertise and capacity.
“The Business Events Council of Australia, working with the Australian Association of Convention Bureaux, should be congratulated on securing this unprecedented funding commitment from the Federal Government.” Business Events Perth has been hard at work behind the scenes developing a new immersive marketing platform that will bring Western Australia to event organisers anywhere in the world. This marketing tool is set to be released later this year; stay tuned.
Business Events Perth encourages anyone thinking of hosting an event, be it local WA delegates, national, international, or hybrid, to get in touch to see how they can help you make your event a reality.
What’s new in Western Australia in 2020
Several new premium venues have recently opened or are in the cards to open later this year.
Elevate – WA Art Gallery
Elevate will be the largest rooftop venue the city has ever seen, will open above the WA Art Gallery in early 2021.
Western Australian Museum Boola Bardip
The $400 million redevelopment of Western Australian Museum will be completed in late November when the venue opens the doors to its eight galleries for the first time.
The dramatic and bold architectural design brings together four heritage listed buildings, including Hacket Hall, where the skeleton of a blue whale named Otto hangs above an event space with capacity for up to 300 guests banquet style.
Regional venues
Margaret River’s first dedicated conference venue, Margaret River HEART opened this year.
Rottnest Island’s newest absolute beachfront luxury hotel, Samphire Rottnest is opening next month, and the newly announced The Westin Margaret River Resort & Spa, which will be perched on the edge of the Indian Ocean when it opens in 2023.
Experiences
A new bridge climb and zip line will expand Perth’s incentive offering in late 2020, and will be run by multi-award-winning tour operators Two Feet and a Heart Beat.
Thank you to our partner Business Events Perth
