Events big business for Brisbane
Brisbane’s event industry is booming, with the biggest line-up of events in years set to light up the city in 2023. The jam-packed calendar is heating up with hundreds of conferences, sporting showdowns and arts, music and cultural festivals set to inject more than $240 million into the city’s economy.
Major events
Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA) is supporting more than 30 new and returning major events, expected to generate $150 million in economic impact.
International drawcards including the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New ZealandTM and Australian PGA Championship, alongside local favourites, such as the NRL Magic Round, Torian Pro and Brisbane Festival, continue to grow the city’s reputation as a leading global events destination.
Business events
Hundreds of thousands of delegates are expected to descend on Brisbane this year, delivering a further $90 million through an extensive program of business events and incentives.
High-profile health and science conferences continue to reinforce Brisbane’s reputation as a leader in innovation and technology, with the world’s largest HIV science conference, the International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science attracting over 5,000 delegates to the city in July this year. In 2024, Brisbane will welcome over 1,000 delegates from Nu Skin China for the company’s annual incentive trip.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said major events are a mega driver of economic benefit to Brisbane, encouraging visitors to stay longer and support local business.
“Brisbane is already regarded as Australia’s lifestyle capital and now our reputation as a great place to stage big events is evolving rapidly,” Cr Schrinner said.
“Major events are the perfect excuse to make a weekend out of coming to Brisbane, creating a buzz across the city, filling precincts, hotels and restaurants with tourists and stay-cationers alike.
“This year’s jam-packed major events calendar is set to create some serious FOMO for travellers wanting to see the best events in Australia this year.
“Of course, we are most proud to support our Brisbane born and bred events, which continue to grow in popularity with fans from across the country.
“Culture and sport are cornerstones of the community and with the rising cost of living biting, we’re proud that there are plenty of free and affordable events in the mix too to be enjoyed by everyone.
“We are seeing more and more mega events coming to Brisbane and expect that to continue growing in the lead up to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
BEDA CEO Anthony Ryan said both the business and major event sectors were having a phenomenal comeback thanks to Brisbane’s world-class destination appeal.
“We’re excited to welcome more international visitors to Brisbane this year with a big number of conferences drawing delegates from overseas, as well as major events bringing their impressive shows and global competitions to Brisbane,” Mr Ryan said.
“We’ve always known that Brisbane is a stunning destination, and our job is to make sure the world hears that message.
“Clearly our offer is resonating strongly. The fact that so many organisers are choosing to stage their events here, in preference to other destinations around the world, is testament to the welcoming atmosphere, brilliant facilities and natural wonders Brisbane has to offer.”
