The Australian Business Events Association (ABEA) has called on the Federal Government to urgently increase investment in the sector, warning that Australia is losing its competitive edge to international rivals.
In two formal submissions to the minister for trade and tourism, Don Farrell, the ABEA has proposed an expansion of the Business Events Bid Fund Program (BFP) and the creation of a first-of-its-kind National Business Events Data Hub.
ABEA CEO Melissa Brown has requested an increase in BFP funding to A$9 million (US$6.4 million) per year, extending the programme’s horizon to 2032. Since its inception in 2018, the fund has returned a staggering 53:1 on investment, generating almost A$1.4 billion in economic value from 205 successful bids.
Despite this success, latest data indicates a downturn. In the year to September 2025, expenditure from business events fell by seven per cent, and visitor numbers dropped by five per cent compared to the previous year.
Australia is losing ground as competitor destinations significantly increase their support, Brown noted. For example, Canada recently expanded its programme to CA$60 million (US$43.9 million) and New Zealand secured an additional NZ$6 million (US$3.6 million).
“With certainty of funding beyond 2029, Australia could grasp the opportunity to win the next generation of high-impact international conferences,” Brown said.
The second submission seeks an initial A$250,000 investment to develop a National Business Events Data Hub and Dashboard in 2026.
The industry currently relies on outdated 2019 data to measure its total economic impact – estimated then at A$35.7 billion. While current visitor metrics are tracked, they often fail to capture the sector’s broader contributions to trade, research collaboration, and talent attraction.
“Policy and investment decisions demand timely, credible data,” Brown said. “A modern data foundation will allow the government to see the full value of business events, not just as tourism, but as a driver of productivity and national capability, as well as providing real time data to inform business decisions by operators.”
The proposed hub would integrate datasets from venues, bureaus, and organisers into a secure digital platform, allowing for real-time performance tracking and industry benchmarking.
