Business Events Perth Benefits from a Financial Recovery Package

Western Australia’s peak organisation for business events, Business Events Perth (BE Perth), has today announced the confirmation of five new business events worth over $13.2 million thanks to a boost in funding it received through the Government of Western Australia’s Reconnect WA package and its Keynote Speaker funding incentive.

Announced by WA Premier Mark McGowan on 1 December 2021, the $185 million Reconnect WA package included a $15 million funding boost for BE Perth to assist the organisation in attracting lucrative business events to WA, supporting the recovery of the State’s business event, hotel and hospitality industry.

Since being awarded that boost in funding, BE Perth has confirmed four large-scale medical conferences that are set to see over 2750 medical specialists travel to WA between 2022 and 2025, adding upwards of $7.7 million into the local economy.

Additionally, BE Perth’s innovative Keynote Speaker Incentive, which is novel for a convention bureau in that it sponsors the attendance of high-profile keynote speakers in other destinations on the provision the conference then come to WA within three years, has led to the confirmation of a 1600-delegate education conference for Perth in 2025, which is set to generate upwards of $5.5 million in economic returns for the State.

Tourism Minister Roger Cook said business events played an important role in Western Australia’s tourism industry and the WA Government was proud to continue its support of BE Perth by providing extra funding through its Reconnect WA package.

“These events help to promote our vibrant city, its venues and attractions to high-yield visitors who spend valuable dollars while here, and who will hopefully plan a return trip for leisure purposes,” Mr Cook said.

“Despite the major setbacks for this industry due to COVID-19, BE Perth’s optimism and resilience has been demonstrated by continuing to pitch for large-scale events for the future.”

Since July 2020, despite the significant impact of COVID-19 on the business events industry, Business Events Perth has secured 108 national and international events set to occur in WA from 2022 to 2029 representing $107 million in economic impact for the State.

In addition to this, BE Perth has supported over 350 local events since August 2020 to assist the recovery of the local industry.

BE Perth Chief Executive Officer Gareth Martin said the support of the WA Government through Tourism Western Australia and collaboration with industry was pivotal in driving the strong positive results for business events in WA.

“The events that we have confirmed through the Reconnect WA funding and our Keynote Speaker Incentive were strategically targeted to align with the WA Government’s Diversify WA framework, which identifies health and medical life sciences and international education as two of the State’s key growth sectors,” Mr Martin said.