Centenary of Canberra creates conferences

Centenary of Canberra creates conferences
By admin


Canberra Centenary celebrations have created a rise in conferences in the city next year with bookings up 25% despite a lack of large meeting infrastructure.

More than 40,000 delegates are expected to visit the capital for the year-long Centenary of Canberra program in 2013 thanks to close collaboration between the centenary organisation and the Canberra Convention Bureau over the last four years.

“We have been giving them sneak previews of the program, advising them of some of our key events and exhibitions so they have been able to pitch to the marketplace well before the release of the program and that’s worked a treat in terms of these early bookings,” Canberra Centenary Executive Director Jeremy Lasek said.

The average convention centre booking numbers 1000 delegates and there is an active push within the business community for an expanded meeting place to accommodate for bigger conferences.

“We recognise at the moment that it’s a major shortcoming for Canberra and all the political parties recognise that as something we need to address,” Lasek said.

Canberra is unable to accommodate global political events such as G20 meetings even though the nation’s capital would be a natural location for the conference.

“We don’t have the conference facilities and we don’t have the accommodation to fulfil the needs of a major international conference like that,” Lasek said.

Accommodation pressures in Canberra mean that the events calendar are distributed carefully to avoid clashes with parliamentary sessions and legacy is an essential outcome of the 2013 centenary celebrations.

“The things we are doing in 2013 that are unique we are testing those things with a view to rolling them out again if they are successful,” Lasek said.

Canberra will release a new tourism brand next year and is currently in consultation with locals about the best angle to promote. “2013 is a great fulcrum to go forward with that new brand,” Lasek added.

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

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