Moving MICE into Melbourne
Karen Bollinger CEO Melbourne Convention and Visitors Bureau
How are Tourism Australia/Melbourne Convention and Visitors Bureau supporting more MICE visitors to Melbourne?
A lot of infrastructure development is taking place in Melbourne, both from the accommodation perspective and also from the venue perspective; Many new hotels are coming up in the city; two in the immediate future from the Sheraton group. Another unique concept, what was formerly Vic Hall has been converted to a sparkling new space hotel. We have plenty of rooms in every category to cater to different demands.
How is Melbourne looking at India as a market for tourism?
Our Singapore representative looks after the India market. Our Premier is currently in India taking up among other issues, tourism; particularly tourism Victoria, to encourage Indians to invest in the tourism industry here and to encourage travel to Australia. We are active in the Indian market. We don’t have huge budgets for marketing but what we do is talk to the right people in the Indian market who have business
to bring with incentives and corporate meetings area.
Travelling to Melbourne means high ticket costs, primarily because of the distance factor. Do you have good value hotels to balance out this steep travel expense?
At present, there are 26,000 hotel rooms in Melbourne of which 11,000 are in the central city area and they range from 2 star to 6 star properties. We also have apartment style accommodation options. They are all of very good quality.
What are the different types of conferences being organised in Melbourne?
MCVB does a lot of work with Association congresses, which get delegates from across the world. They, in turn bring in more groups from their respective countries.
How do you promote Melbourne as a destination for MICE?
We attend a lot of international conferences, where we talk about Melbourne as an ideal destination
for travellers, distribute flyers, etc. The result of these events is that more people are interested now. Melbourne is a dream destination and MCVB facilitates this dream to come true.
Do you do a lot of incentives?
We are planning an incentive trip for a very large group from Amway India and are customising it to give the people exactly what they want.
How do you assist large groups coming to Melbourne?
We help them organise the events in the appropriate venues. For instance, the Melbourne cricket ground can host big events. Here also, at the Melbourne convention and Exhibition centre, they have a lot of choice in venues, both indoor and outdoors. Depending on the budget of the group and the amount of time they have on hand, we can customise a memorable experience of Melbourne. Generally, in a 4-day itinerary, we are able to accommodate a lot of things.
Do you think there is a lack of awareness about the unique products of Melbourne?
Melbourne has a lot to offer. Recently we did a walking tour with a group of three from India. They left raving about Melbourne. There are also other unique experiences in Melbourne, like Wine tasting, Bush walking, etc. A unique thing about the city is that a 90-minute drive from the city could take you to an entirely different environment – beach, mountains, farms and other natural beauty.
From which part of the world do you have more visitors?
India is a growing market for Melbourne. And we are expecting it to further grow after AIME 2012. We have done quite a few fam tours in the last couple of months, primarily corporate. We are hoping that they will yield good results.
How many groups from India have come to Melbourne?
It is difficult to give an exact number as not all come through us. Some get in touch with the hotels and venues directly.
Does the Melbourne Convention and Visitors Bureau (MCVB) work with the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) to promote Melbourne as a destination for MICE?
Yes, the two work hand-in-hand to organise events in Melbourne. We have a very healthy relationship, which makes organisation of events and conferences much simpler for us. MCEC had a Stars of Bollywood night last year when stars were flown down from India. It sold out. It was very colourful.
Indians are almost always looking for vegetarian options on the menu. How do you handle this?
Melbourne can cater to the vegetarians. We also get a lot of requests for Indian food. We get Indian chefs to advise and execute these specific orders. This is definitely a priority on our agenda.Melbourne has a large Indian population. Recently we took a group from India to a winery that is owned by an Indian. He greeted us in his traditional Indian attire and then cooked an Indian meal for the guests. This is exactly the kind of thing we as a Bureau would facilitate.