CHICAGO — Australia’s business events industry is set to launch a new association in July that will serve as a unifying voice within the sector. The development of the new Australian Business Events Association (ABEA) has been led by a group of directors from the country’s three major industry associations — The Association of Australian Convention Bureaus (AACB), the Australian Convention Centres Group (ACCG) and the Exhibitions and Events Association of Australasia Ltd (EEAA).
Industry veteran Peter King, who most recently served as CEO of Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centrewas appointed independent chairman of the board of directors.
“An industry of this size and importance needs a strong, robust industry association to commission research, create policy, train its employees, address sustainability, develop career paths, connect with domestic and international business opportunities, and vigorously advocate for its interests with government. Our challenges require us to work together,” King said.
According to a 2022 research study conducted by an independent consultancy and commissioned by the Business Events Council of Australia (BECA), 84% of respondents wanted a unified body representing the industry to government and the wider business community. The study concluded that duplication of services across many associations was leading to inefficient use of industry funds, with multiple advocacy voices confusing stakeholders and diluting the industry’s message.
“The industry has been in the shadow of government for too long. COVID has taught us that we must take seriously our desire to make our collective voice heard,” King said.
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Business events contributed more than $36 billion to Australia’s national economy in the year before COVID. “The business events sector has a vital role to play in the success of our economy,” King said. “Business events enable all sectors to come together to do business, innovate, develop the workforce and trade. We drive the prosperity of our economy and society.”
According to King, ABEA will focus on the industry’s advocacy pillars, including research and policy, industry development, services members need to manage their teams and businesses, and promoting the sector as a great place to work and do business. King says ABEA’s membership categories will ensure that industry engagement is accessible to everyone, regardless of company size.
“To successfully advocate for positive government policy and investment decisions, a leading body must become the trusted and united voice of the industry it represents,” said AACB CEO Andrew Hiebl. AACB and its members represent more than 1,800 operators in the tourism and events sector. “To fuel the advocacy agenda, the new Australian Business Events Association will prioritise research to demonstrate the economic contribution and social impact of business events as leading experts.”
Domenic Genua, CEO of EEAA, the leading trade association for professionals in the professional and consumer exhibition and event industry, said: “We will focus our efforts on the prosperity of our members and, through a consolidated professional events community, we will have the critical mass to address a broader range of industry needs. By coming together, we will have greater opportunities for networking, education, advocacy and the development of new industry initiatives, among many other needs that we can address.”
Join Peter King (pictured) at Unite@abea.org.au; Domenic Genua at ceo@eeaa.org.au; And Andrew Hiebl atandrew.hiebl@aacb.org.au