Julia is a passionate and driven tourism and business events professional with over 20 years’ experience. In her 11 years with MCB, she has contributed strongly to the growth and success of the organisation in the global business events market. In her time as CEO, Julia has driven stronger strategic alignment with Visit Victoria through her role on the Visit Victoria Leadership Team for the overall benefit of the visitor economy. In 2021, Julia was appointed to the role of Vice President of The Association of Australian Convention Bureaux (AACB), a demonstration of her leadership and expertise in the business events industry in Australia. She is also currently on the Executive Board of the BestCities Global Alliance, an alliance of 11 leading global cities that harness the power of collaboration and community to create positive impact through business events. Julia holds a Bachelor of Business (Catering and Hotel Management) and a Masters of Business (Hospitality and Tourism Marketing). Her sales experience includes 13 years’ experience in a number of international hotel chains.
MS. The MICE business in Australia has expanded rapidly in recent years, the Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) has outlined a solid performance in the 2019-20 financial year, despite the disruptive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. To what do you attribute this development?
Julia Swanson. Melbourne’s infrastructure paves the way for highly successful business events and corporate incentive groups, with world-leading conference facilities and venues, excellent connectivity, quality accommodation and WOW experiences unique to Melbourne. The city has always been an innovator in the events space, and with so much being accessible by foot, our compact city is easy to navigate once arrived. It invites delegates to discover its creative culture, expressed in its food, fashion, events, arts and music scene. Or for those wanting to explore further afield, the unique natural beauty of regional Victoria is just a short trip away. Yet, I truly believe it is our holistic ‘Team Melbourne’ approach and the relationships we have built with our clients and the business events supply chain over 50 years of operation that has put us in good stead.
Navigating the challenges presented by COVID-19 has been a top priority of MCB. We responded quickly to rapidly changing market conditions since the onset of the pandemic. We’ve had success with 70 per cent of events due to take place rescheduled to future years. This success can be attributed to our partner venues, accommodation and event service providers, being flexible with cancellation policies and working to accommodate postponements and international event rotation cycles. While travel wasn’t optimised, we reorganised the digital delivery of products and services to ensure clients could keep promoting their meetings and continue to plan their event in Melbourne with confidence.
MS. In what ways has MCB been instrumental in the delivery of high-quality business events, and in exceeding the expectations of event organizers. What would be your top recommendations to get the most value out of an event?
Julia Swanson. In today’s fast-paced, changing world, the event industry has evolved and opportunities to connect can certainly be overwhelming. This is exactly where a convention bureau can step in and help. Unless you’ve personally had experience with a convention bureau, you may not know what support services they provide for corporate and association event planners. Working with a destination’s convention bureau can help you transform the way you engage and connect your clients, whether it be through a corporate event, conference, team strategy day or incentive trip.
Five benefits to engaging a convention bureau to help plan, execute and get the most value out of your event include:
- Services are complementary. Local bureaux have a wealth of experience in executing memorable events using state-of-the-art facilities and innovative suppliers to ensure every event yields successful business outcomes. Planners can tap into that network for no cost, as MCB provides a free one-stop service to creating memorable events in Melbourne.
- Access to contacts across government, industry sectors and more. Convention bureaux have access to a variety of government contacts and industry experts that may align with your event. MCB has the support of the state government and excellent networks in academia, medicine and research institutions to name a few.
- Receive advice and referrals to suppliers. With a plethora of venue, accommodation, catering, entertainment, transport and experience options on the market, a bureau can help narrow down the best suppliers for your event. MCB partners with more than 150 suppliers and can help you choose the right partners to meet your event brief and budget. If you’re taking your event hybrid or virtual, MCB can connect planners with state-of-the-art live studios, cutting-edge production teams and virtual event platforms.
- Access to free marketing materials. Convention Bureaux like MCB can help organise print and digital destination information for delegate boosting, including visitor guides, maps, images, videos, itineraries and website content.
- Create a unique and unforgettable event. If you’re looking to really get the most out of a destination during your event, bureaux are in the know. Event planners are spoilt for choice in bringing their event to life with access to MCB’s expertise in working with different suppliers. Think laneway activations to gala events in unconventional locations like Old Melbourne Gaol or State Library of Victoria. In addition to the highest concentration of conference facilities in Australia, including the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne’s vibrant arts and live music scene and a delectable culinary dining experience doesn’t go astray to indulge a variety of clients.
MS. MICE events are not just about business. What incentives does Melbourne offer in order to create a truly memorable experience?
Julia Swanson. As a premier destination for delegates and event planners, Melbourne is ever-changing its offering providing an array of new reasons to host business events in the city. At MCB we are experts in crafting that once-in-life-time itinerary personalised specifically to our clients’ needs and budget. One exciting new experience to open is Melbourne’s new immersive digital art gallery THE LUME Melbourne, located at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.This epic adventure sees immersive art take over all the senses, and projections which reach four storeys tall, will remain an unforgettable experience for guests. Where else can you be immersed amongst Vincent Van Gogh artwork while hosting your networking event, gala dinner, product launch or post-conference drinks? THE LUME Melbourne is ideal for pre-function, exclusive full venue takeover with custom digital projections created just for you or non-exclusive events during gallery hours.
Welcome your team aboard TheQ Train – one of the newest offerings providing a once-in-a-lifetime incentive experience for delegates. MCB is proudly partnering for the first time with this award-winning restaurant that travels along the historic Bellarine Railway between Drysdale and Queenscliff. During a lunch experience that showcases the best of the Bellarine, guests can enjoy views of Swan Bay and local scenery. Packages are available for teams to sail directly from Docklands to Portarlington on board Port Phillip Ferries where groups will be met and transported to The Q Train. It’s never been easier to depart Melbourne and take a business meeting or networking event offsite. Making for a memorable day on the Bellarine, every minute of the journey is as much a part of the adventure as the destination itself. Melbourne is known for its coffee, laneway culture and street art, but its environmental initiatives have earned its reputation as one of the most sustainable, not just in Australia, but throughout the world.
There’s a myriad of incentive experiences to really connect people with a sense of giving back and provide a return on emotion that are the perfect for a team building activity. Book a VIP tour at Phillip Island Nature Park to have a private ranger guide share conservation stories while guests build much needed artificial burrows that act as a box for wildlife in the area. Go on an Aboriginal Heritage walk at the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and gain insight into the rich history of the First Peoples of Australia though a journey of learn about Aboriginal plant uses, customs and on-going connection to country and land. Or go on a Sustainable Farm Tour at Green Olive down by Mornington Peninsula where you’ll learn about their biological approach to farming and paddock to plate food production. After the tour you can settle with the view of their vineyard with seasonal farm grown tapas and a glass of the estate grown wine.
MS. How badly has COVID-19 affected the meetings industry in your country and city?
Julia Swanson. Like all destinations, Australia’s meetings industry has been impacted considerably. However, we’ve adapted and innovated and are prepared for what lies ahead. We are excited for the return of Melbourne signature events of the Australian Open, Formula One Grand Prix and Asia Pacific Incentive Meetings Event (AIME) this year. AIME 2022 will be one of the first international trade shows to be held in Melbourne this year and will be a significant recovery platform for the business events industry in Victoria – it’s our opportunity to show the world that Melbourne is back. We’ll see more international business events by mid-2022, including one of my personal favourites, the World Baristas Championship and World Brewers Cup in July. Interest out of Asia for small-medium groups is increasing and we expect this market to return quickly once air access is established. Importantly, the city-wide conventions of Rotary 2023 and Lions 2024 are still moving forward with their planning – we appreciate the support of our MCB partners for these mega events.
MS. What has the pandemic taught us about the current state of the meetings industry? What plans do you have in regards to preventive measures to take with the rise of Omicron?
Julia Swanson. Even prior to the pandemic, safety was high on the consideration set for clients when deciding on a host destination. Melbourne’s reputation as a leading business event destination is supported by a list of success factors and safety is among them. Health and safety remain paramount and with mandatory vaccinations for attendance at venues, a level of comfort to event organisers and delegates is ensured. As a city we are well versed in COVIDSafe settings, and it puts us in good stead to stage events with confidence. Every venue has its own COVID-safe plan which provides clarity to planners and for delegates. The guidelines are clear, and it is easy to do business. We have seen how incredibly resilient and adaptable the business events industry has been, rising to the challenges the pandemic has thrown up along the way.
MS. How does the future of business tourism in Melbourne look in these turbulent times? What sets your destination apart from the competition?
Julia Swanson. There is pent up demand for in-person events, with companies eager to bring people back together after almost two years behind screens and we are very much looking forward to welcoming the national and international business events confirmed for Melbourne this year. There is a raft of new hotel openings, including the new five-star Hyatt Centric and Oakwood Premier with more to come in 2023.
THE LUME Melbourne, Australia’s first permanent digital art gallery at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre recently opened and offers a range of exclusive corporate event packages including thoughtfully curated menus, sound, and tech support to create an unforgettable multi-sensory event experience. The spiritual home of Australia’s sporting and entertainment capital has a brand-new events and conference venue, CENTREPIECE at Melbourne Park. Spanning over 4,500 sqm across three levels and encompassed by open green spaces, the innovative venue has the capabilities to host everything from large-scale conferences and major awards nights, and gala celebrations including five-star dining experiences.
In 2021 (calendar year) MCB secured 64 business events for Melbourne. These events are expected to attract almost 46,000 delegates and inject $191 million direct revenue to
the Victorian business events supply chain and provide long-term certainty for Victoria’s visitor economy in the coming years. Melbourne now has 123 international and national business events confirmed from now until 2028 worth more than $803 million and expected to attract close to 134,000 delegates filling over 385,000 room nights. We look forward to welcoming these events to Melbourne.
What sets Melbourne apart:
- Renowned as Australia’s knowledge capital and innovation hub, Melbourne continues to be a major drawcard for many international associations, particularly in the fields of medicine and science.Melbourne’s credentials as a city of great minds is supported by 13 major independent research institutes, 9 universities with expertise across health and life sciences, and 10 major teaching hospitals.
- Melbourne’s expert sectors include biomedical and pharmaceutical, sustainability and clean energy, education, information and communications technology, finance, infrastructure, transport.Melbourne offers associations access to its world-leading research institutes and connections to academics to facilitate strong education programs, powerful knowledge sharing and fostering world-leading innovations.
- Melbourne strong infrastructure offering ensures highly successful conferences and events, with world-leading conference facilities and venues, excellent connectivity, quality accommodation and an extensive transport system.
- In addition, Melbourne also offers a wide range of immersive experiences which delegates are looking for and the city is renowned as a vibrant and multicultural with an exciting dining scene to match.
MS. How have you managed to connect the digital and analogue world at your events and in business? What key trends do you currently observe in the MICE industry?
Julia Swanson. Digital solutions have truly come into their own during the pandemic. It was a trend that has been accelerated out of necessity and MCB has undertaken a significant digital transformation of the delivery of our products and services to support international clients, professional event organisers and incentive planners plan future travel to Melbourne – including virtual site inspections, livestreaming and digital bid platforms. Whilst you can’t replace the magic of in-person interaction there’s an exponential move towards the use of digital tools, from engaging Zoom backgrounds, avatars for Virtual Booths to even fun Working from Home survival kits that can add a touch of engagement pre, during or post an online event. Virtual reality and 360 tours are becoming the new norm to help event planners have ‘onsite’ inspections of venues and accommodation from the comfort of their very own home. Melbourne’s world-class innovative business events supply chain is well set-up for this. The role of technology has grown exponentially, and this is here to stay.
MS. What are the top three major challenges surrounding the industry? What in your view are the current opportunities in this sector?
Julia Swanson. Sustainability – environmental impact of business events was a focus before the pandemic and will continue to be. The pandemic has given the sector the opportunity to rethink the return to in-person events and how they can be run to minimise impact on the destination. Planners are increasingly including environmental credentials in their RFPS and seeking assistance from convention bureaux and the supply chain to minimise their impact.
Optimisation of meeting design – the last 24 months have been an environment of fast decision making with a focus on business continuity. Business event professionals have adapted accordingly, rapidly changing their events from in-person to virtual or hybrid.This has meant short-term planning cycles, learning on the run and fast execution. Now we know COVID-19 is here to stay a while, event professionals can use the knowledge they’ve gained and feedback from hybrid and virtual delegates to better strategise their future meeting design.
We’ve seen a strong demand for in-person events to return and technology has rapidly developed. Now the focus needs to be on optimal meeting design to cater for both in-person and virtual attendees, noting their needs and experiences differ and delivery needs to be personalised to the channel. Organisations also need to think through commercial realities of multi-channel meetings and understand the impact on their bottom line. It’s an exciting time for the sector to capitalise on the strong demand for in-person, whilst building audiences through complementary technology solutions.
And of course, Health and wellness – the global pandemic has heightened focus on health, safety and wellness. COVID-safety and risk mitigation will remain for the foreseeable future. Destinations with high vaccination rates, COVID-safety standards of venues and trusted heathcare systems will have a competitive advantage. Further to that, I see the wellness of attendees growing in importance. This will increase focus on outdoor events, pre and post regional touring and wellness programs into meeting design.
MS. On a personal note, we are curious to know what keeps you busy when you are away from work?
Julia Swanson. As a mother of two adorable and incredible active boys aged 4 and 5, there is plenty occupying my time outside of business hours! We are very lucky living in Melbourne, with options for day trips to wine regions, Phillip Island nature parks, ski fields and of course, amazing bay and ocean beaches.
