13 February 2025
BE CONNECTED AMBASSADOR FAMIL
Last week, Norma Swain, our Ambassador Program Manager, hosted the BE Connected Ambassador Famil. The six ambassadors involved are highly respected experts and leaders in their own fields as doctors, academics, engineers, CEOs, and entrepreneurs who advocate for the Gold Coast and support our efforts globally.
As they rarely get the chance to experience all that the Gold Coast offers as a business events destination, our focus was to highlight inclusivity and accessibility and to include some of our southern Gold Coast venues and activities.
Thank you to all our members who stepped forward to host our ambassadors:
- The Star Gold Coast
- Dorsett Gold Coast
- Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
- QT Gold Coast
- Sea World Resort
- Hopo
- HOTA, Home of the Arts
- Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
- Twin Towns Services Club
- Kirra Beach House
- Aires Queensland Transport.
GOLD COAST STEALS THE SPOTLIGHT AT AIME 2025
The Experience Gold Coast Business Events Team participated in AIME, the Australia Pacific Incentive and Meetings Event, the largest and longest-running exhibition and learning platform for business events, held from February 10-12.
Alongside 19 of our industry partners, Experience Gold Coast hosted over 70 meetings, and as Team Gold Coast, we completed more than 900 appointments.
With a fresh new stand showcasing the Gold Coast lifestyle, we proudly celebrated and promoted the Gold Coast at every opportunity.
We sincerely thank our industry partners for their support and for joining us:
- Accor
- Architects of Vibe
- Coast Entertainment
- Crowne Plaza Surfers Paradise
- Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
- Dorsett Gold Coast
- Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
- Hilton Surfers Paradise Hotel and Residences
- HOTA, Home of the Arts
- Kirra Beach House
- Miami Marketta
- Mondrian Gold Coast
- RACV Royal Pines Resort
- Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort Gold Coast
- The Star Gold Coast
- Topgolf Gold Coast
- Village Roadshow Theme Parks
- voco Gold Coast
- YOT Group
DISCOVER OUR NEW MEETING PLANNERS GUIDE
Our refreshed Meeting Planners Guide has been released, showcasing our wonderful member partners on the Gold Coast.
The Meeting Planners Guide provides event planners with an overview of the Gold Coast, including information on venues, accommodation, attractions, and the specialist services available to help plan their events.
THIS IS GOLD COAST 2025 PARTNERSHIP AND EXHIBITOR PROSPECTUS
The This is Gold Coast 2025 (TIGC25) Partnership and Exhibitor Prospectus is now available and has been shared via email. The prospectus outlines partnership opportunities and the process for expressing your interest in exhibiting at the TIGC25 tradeshow.
This year’s program will highlight the Gold Coast’s growth as a business events destination, centred around the key themes of sustainability and Be Bold. We encourage you to incorporate these themes into your proposal submissions.
Partner proposals and expressions of interest to exhibit at the tradeshow are due by COB Tuesday 25 February.
QUEENSLAND BUSINESS EVENT SURVEY 2023-2024 RESULTS
While the overall number of meetings are still down compared to pre-covid 2019 data, we are getting more delegates, and they are staying longer on average for the Gold Coast.
As you can see from the table below by market segment, most segments are in line with 2019 as a percentage of overall business. The market segment that is down is our incentive, and specifically international incentive market.
As a result, Brooke and our sales team are on the road in 2025 with trade missions, road shows and attending international industry showcases and trade events in 2025.
This data is incredibly valuable, and we sincerely appreciate all our members who contribute to the QBES data collection.
QBES Results 2023 cf. 2024
CASE STUDY: THE 74TH INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE
The 74th International Communication Association (ICA) Conference, held on the Gold Coast in June 2024, welcomed more than 4,000 leading academics, researchers, and industry professionals from across Australia and the world to discuss the latest trends, research, and advancements in communication.
The attraction of the conference to Australia and the Gold Coast was a collaborative bid effort by Experience Gold Coast and Tourism and Events Queensland with support also provided via Tourism Australia’s Business Events Bid Fund Program.
TRADE ACTIVITY CALENDAR FOR FY25/26
- BEA North America Showcase, Canada & USA: 10 - 19 March 2025
- BEA Greater China Showcase, China: 23 – 26 March 2025
- IMEX Frankfurt, Frankfurt: 20 - 22 May 2025
- BEA Grant - EGC BE Showcase, China/Taiwan: 1 June 2025
- TEQ/QF Japan MICE Famil, Gold Coast: June 2025 (TBC)
- This is Gold Coast 2025 (TIGC25), Gold Coast: 4 - 7 August 2025
MEMBER PRODUCT UPDATES
ANNOUNCEMENT
Monthly product updates are back, designed exclusively for our incredible members to connect and update our team. May it be a sneak peek or an insider’s look at upcoming developments, team movements, new products, or special surprises (we love surprises).
The next monthly product update kicks off per the below details:
Date: Monday 3 March 2025
Time: 30 – 45 mins per update
Where: Experience Gold Coast office in Broadbeach or online via Teams
How: Email the team at businessevents@experiencegoldcoast.com to allocate a time.
If you have any exciting news, please share it with us! Content pillars that we wish to feature include sustainability, indigenous, wellness, CSR, products and experiences as well as new and unique venues.
FEBRUARY BUSINESS EVENTS IN DESTINATION
- Australian Dairy Conference 2025: 12 - 14 February 2025
- SlipStream Connect 2025: 19 - 21 February 2025
- Team Mak Impact 2025: 21 - 23 February 2025
VIEW THE 30 JANUARY 2025 BUSINESS EVENTS UPDATE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
Experience Gold Coast acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we are situated, the Kombumerri families of the Yugambeh Language Region.
We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging, and recognise their continuing connections to the lands, waters and their extended communities throughout Southeast Queensland.