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Sunshine Coast takes ‘AIME’ to win events business

Enticing delegates to the Sunshine Coast is big business.

And it’s not just high-profile business events that attract tourist dollars. Small group incentive tours can provide a very welcome mid-week boost for Sunshine Coast accommodation providers and venues.

The Sunshine Coast business events sector has been a star performer in recent years, often successfully competing against Australia’s capital cities to host major events and conferences.

What sets us apart is the relaxed and refreshing nature of our destination.

Not only is the Sunshine Coast easily accessible from Brisbane and major cities Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Auckland through Sunshine Coast Airport, it’s also one of the few places where you are just a few steps from the boardroom to the beach or the serenity of the Hinterland.

Next week Business Events Sunshine Coast, a division of Visit Sunshine Coast, will travel to Melbourne to showcase what the region offers at the Asia Pacific’s most prestigious meetings and events trade show, AIME.

AIME will connect us with business event ‘buyers’ from across the world, helping us tap in to what is an increasingly lucrative market.

The future of business events on the Sunshine Coast is looking especially bright following significant investment in upgrading our key events venues.

Last year Shakespeare Property Group acquired Novotel Twin Waters Resort for $100 million, and is spending a further $8 million to build a new convention centre.

This investment led us to win the rights to host the 2019 Queensland Tourism Awards, which will attract more than 1000 delegates to the Sunshine Coast in November.

Another major investment is the current $6 million upgrade to The Events Centre Caloundra, which will host the Performing Arts Connections Australia Conference and Performing Arts Exchange event this year.

The success in this sector has also been in no small part due to the support of Sunshine Coast Council and the Major Events Board, who assist in providing bid funding.

Hosting high-profile events has established the Sunshine Coast as one of Australia’s premium events destination and delivers substantial economic benefits to the community.

Delegates visiting the region for a conference will book a variety of accommodation, eat out at restaurants and visit our region’s attractions.

And after initially experiencing the Coast on business, many delegates will return for pleasure, bringing their families and generating further benefits for the local economy.

What is particularly encouraging is the number of local Sunshine Coast entrepreneurs who’ve been able to take advantage of the growth in the events and incentives sector. Our team has worked with many locals who’ve been able to translate an innovative idea into a sustainable long-term business providing specialist services to the industry.

From small things, very big things can grow.

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