TTF says government isn’t serious about business events

TTF says government isn’t serious about business events
By admin


Tourism and Transport Forum chairman John Lee has said the government gives business events ‘lip service’ and has called on the industry to convince politicians of their economic value.

At the Event Symposium in Sydney last week, Lee joined a panel of industry representatives from the Melbourne, Canberra and Northern Territory Convention Bureaus as well as Business Events Sydney.

“We have to be serious about the jobs and the economic value that our industry brings… If we were grains or rocks, the government would find some serious money to fund us. The federal government isn’t serious about us, it gives us lip service,” Lee said.

The TTF Chairman suggested that agencies agree on a figure to present to government that represents the value of business events.

“If they are not economic portfolios, they don’t get taken seriously,” Lee said.

The threat of Asian markets was a talking point with the panel emphasising the need to gain a competitive advantage over their neighbours and Lee advocating an attitude change.

“Why is it in the Australian psyche that a sports event is seen as more prestigious than hosting 13,000 Amway sellers from China?” Lee asked.

Singapore was cited as a country aware of the long term benefits of business events with its $180 million investment in the city’s international convention and exhibition centre Suntec.

“They are trying to attract so many different business events from around Asia into their space. In some ways we aren’t mature enough yet,” he said.

Lee predicted that Ted Baillieu’s trip to secure a business event in Asia would draw criticism from the media.

“They’ll attack him because he is going to fly in a jet to get some business to Australia and I think the media has an absolute responsibility to be more mature about the seriousness and importance of business events,” Lee said.

“I think it is time to shake the tree and say to the government we need real research and development in this sector,” he added.

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

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