2017-18 BUDGET Aligned with Australian Government priorities Business events are a crucial part of the Australian Government’s innovation agenda. As such, we have aligned the industry’s five recommendations for 2017-18 with existing federal priorities. Business Events Recommendations Objective: Grow the value of the business events sector to $16 billion by 2020. Situation: International delegate arrivals fell Recommendation: Invest in a national convention bid by 11% in FY16. fund of up to $10 million per year to Australia’s ICCA ranking has increase Australia’s competitiveness slipped to 15th in the world. in bringing conventions and Australia lost 61 international exhibitions of national significance to association conventions in FY16, our cities. 18% due to stronger financial incentives from rivals. Objective: To maximise the Australia-China Year of Tourism in 2017. Situation: Chinese nationals face significant Recommendation: Grant access to the fee-free online cost and time barriers to obtain Electronic Travel Authority visa for travel to Australia. scheme for attendees of major Australia is less appealing as a business events. Estimated foregone business event destination due to revenue of $10 million per year. fees and charges. Objective: To reposition Australia as a leader in innovation, science and technology. Situation: Australia struggles to attract Recommendation: Fund a dedicated $10 million leading scientific academics to business events marketing campaign major conferences. to change perceptions of Australia as Australia is not perceived as a a knowledge economy. knowledge economy. Objective: To grow the participation of women from developing countries in business. Situation: Academics from the developing Recommendation: Allocate $4 million of Australian aid world in our region face significant per year for a travel bursary to bring economic barriers to attending academics, scientists and business international conferences. leaders from the Indo-Pacific to international conventions held in Australia. Objective: To encourage industry co-funding of tourism marketing. Situation: Convention bureaux are penalised Recommendation: Restore the rules around the Export in Export Market Development Market Development Grants to allow Grant assessment due to their approved bodies to receive full mixed public-private funding funding for international marketing. structures. No new funding required.
2017-18 Aligned with Australian Government priorities Business events are a crucial part of the Australian Government’s innovation agenda. As such, we have aligned the industry’s five recommendations for 2017-18 with existing federal priorities. Business Events Recommendations Objective: Grow the value of the business events sector to $16 billion by 2020. Situation: International delegate arrivals fell by 11% in FY16. Australia’s ICCA ranking has slipped to 15th in the world. Australia lost 61 international association conventions in FY16, 18% due to stronger financial incentives from rivals. Recommendation: Invest in a national convention bid fund of up to $10 million per year to increase Australia’s competitiveness in bringing conventions and exhibitions of national significance to our cities. Objective: To maximise the Australia-China Year of Tourism in 2017. Situation: Chinese nationals face significant cost and time barriers to obtain for travel to Australia. Australia is less appealing as a business event destination due to fees and charges. Recommendation: Grant access to the fee-free online Electronic Travel Authority visa scheme for attendees of major business events. Estimated foregone revenue of $10 million per year. Objective: To reposition Australia as a leader in innovation, science and technology. Situation: Australia struggles to attract leading scientific academics to major conferences. Australia is not perceived as a knowledge economy. Recommendation: Fund a dedicated $10 million business events marketing campaign to change perceptions of Australia as a knowledge economy. Objective: To grow the participation of women from developing countries in business. Situation: Academics from the developing world in our region face significant economic barriers to attending international conferences. Recommendation: Allocate $4 million of Australian aid per year for a travel bursary to bring academics, scientists and business leaders from the Indo-Pacific to international conventions held in Australia. Objective: To encourage industry co-funding of tourism marketing. Situation: Convention bureaux are penalised in Export Market Development Grant assessment due to their mixed public-private funding structures. Recommendation: Restore the rules around the Export Market Development Grants to allow approved bodies to receive full funding for international marketing. No new funding required. BUDGET