Perth Convention Bureau exceeds target with higher yielding delegates - staying longer

The Perth Convention Bureau has exceeded its yearly target of securing $102 million DDE (Direct Delegate Expenditure) by delivering $104.65 million of conferences and delegate spend to the City of Perth and State of Western Australia.

“The direct economic contribution is substantial, let alone when this value is magnified across the broader economy. Further, this value doesn’t reflect the immeasurable social and knowledge share benefits to business, academia and the intellectual value base of Western Australia” PCB CEO Paul Beeson said.

“Our focused and targeted marketing to high yield conference sectors, such as healthcare, is paying dividends to our stakeholders, members and industry” Mr Beeson said. High yielding healthcare conferences secured by PCB have increased from ~900 delegates in 2009 to ~14,000 delegates for 2012/13 financial year.

Further success is the increase in delegate’s average length of stay: this financial year increasing to 4.33 days. “This is a result of considerable “Delegate Boosting” promotion, where, after the conference bid is won, PCB supports marketing of Perth and Western Australia as the destination at each international conference prior to its staging in Perth” Mr Beeson said.

“An additional one day average delegate stay in Western Australia appears minimal, but multiplied by tens of thousands of delegates; you can appreciate the added economic value” Mr Beeson added.

In a softening accommodation and venue market, high quality delegates, staying for longer periods, throughout metropolitan and regional Western Australia are an important boost to tourism throughout the State.

“Perth Convention Bureau’s contribution to Business Tourism in Western Australia, both in quantity and quality is a direct result of a supportive and directive Board, Chaired by Mr.Ian Laurance AM, a cooperative industry membership, and a focused, professional team of marketers, for whom innovation and continual business refinement is fundamental” Mr Beeson said.

He finished; “Innovation, and successful implementation of it, ensures market leadership - we intend to maintain this position in the Business Tourism landscape both nationally and internationally”.

Sourced: TravelDialyNews